SEARCH ME: ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

By: Tim Dowling

Published: Friday 24 May 2013; The Guardian; http://www.guardian.co.uk Alternatively, just google the title and author’s name

Level of Difficulty: *** This is an easy one for this level

Note to the student: an example of the writing task is available under “Sample Essays”

BEFORE YOU READ

·         How to build a kickass online reputation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsKAmpvoE0c

       How To Improve Your Personal Online Reputation On Google https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv7mpulraaM

Online Reputation Repair https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BySxe-l6Tpw

QUESTIONS

1.       What exactly does “This 21^st century problem refer to? You will have to tweak the text.

2.       What is the purpose of online reputation management?

3.       Why do online reputations need tidying up?

4.       What conclusion can be drawn from the paragraph beginning “However…”?

·         Keeping online reputations spotless will be the norm

·         Keeping online reputations pristine is costly.

·         Online reputation managers mainly deal with companies

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

5.       What does “that” refer to in the sentence “I didn’t anticipate that”?

6.       Read the stories of the two clients Wadsworth mentions. What do the stories have in common? Use your own words.

Both their problems …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7.       What is the justification behind the EU rule concerning the right to be forgotten?

8.       In what respect are Coca Cola and Monsanto compared?

With respect to whether they ……………………………………………………………………………………..

9.       What conclusion can be drawn from the example of the Belgian blogger?

10.   How is a negative link in a drop box amended?

11.   Why does Wadsworth think the job he does is mostly worthwhile?

12.   Why was the action Tim Dowling and his wife took concerning negative posts wrong?

13.   How to online reputation managers deal with damming newspaper articles?

14.   The companies can help get rid of negative posting too by…………………………………………

15.   How can the individual help himself?

WRITING TASK

Write a problem solution essay concerning how online reputations can most affectively be controlled. Use the text and the outline below.

In your introduction, discuss briefly the importance of reputations in breaking or making a person, how the concept of building a reputation has changed in the modern world and the fact that nothing is forgotten on the internet. Add your thesis statement: there are various measures both companies and individuals can take to improve a negative reputation

In your first developmental paragraph, discuss the measures companies can take.  These measures essentially involve getting control of the first page in a google search as few people look further

·         Making sure the company owns the assets on the first page

·         Making sure stuff generated by the company are on the first page

·         Instigating positive information by searching for positive links

·         Posting articles and information that reflects well on the company

In your second developmental paragraph, discuss measure individuals can take.

·         Joining big networking sites like LinkedIn

·         Signing up for a “do it yourself” reputation management service

·         Having online profiles lodged with professional listing sites

·         Having a blog or a website and updating it frequently

In your conclusion, discuss how the world is changing, how a lot of what used to verbal has moved to the world wide web and that we have to act accordingly

SEARCH ME: ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT KEY AND TEACHERS NOTES

With so many reading texts on so many different topics it was a joy to find something completely original and up to date. The text will appeal to the modern youth as it is something they are familiar with and that they have ideas about. They can have fun googling themselves at the beginning and seeing what comes up. You can then ask for their opinions on how to get rid of anything unpleasant.

1.       A bad review being the first that greeted potential customers

2.       To tidy up search engine results. The rest is support and you should try and learn to distinguish the support from the main idea.

3.       Because an unjustified malicious or obsolete complaint may linger for years blighting every new query

4.       The answer is 2. 1 is wrong because it is not true for everyone according to the text and 3 is wrong because they mostly deal with people

5.       The fact that these days 60 – 70% of Wadsworth’s clients are individuals.

6.       Took place a long time ago; OR are outdated

7.       Google’s search algorithms can make stuff seem more current or valid than it is. This, again, is the main idea and the rest is support.

8.       They own page 1; OR they owned the assets that were on page one

9.       Taking issue with criticism risks making matters worse

10.   By doing searches to effect those moves

11.   Because the system is already inherently unfair

12.   Because he opened up an arena for people to debate whether or not he was funny

13.   By creating positive or even neutral content to overwhelm the negative

14.   Setting up genuine useable content

15.   By joining big networking sites like LinkedIn, signing up for a DIY reputation management service, having online profiles lodged with professional listing sites, having a blog or website and posting on them