Most people’s names aren’t unique to them, and that is completely fine and normal. It can sometimes be quite humorous and may even open a few opportunities for some people. The problem, however, is when someone shares a name with another person who has a negative reputation. This can be damaging to their own identity, and it’s only made worse by the internet today.

The good news is that there are ways to combat this. In this article, we’ll go over some of those methods. 

One of the ways you can reclaim your identity online is by creating a space that’s all yours. You can launch a website where you get to control everything that gets published on it. In doing this, you can ensure that nothing damaging to you or your brand gets posted on your site.

You can also further combat negative affiliations to your name by sharing positive reviews and testimonials from people you’ve worked with before, whether they were customers, colleagues, or your boss. 

Make sure you post fresh content frequently so that your website has a better shot at ranking high. Also, post updated contact information so that visitors know it’s you.

Another way you can ensure a positive online presence is by carefully managing your social media accounts. Clear your feeds of anything that could potentially hurt you in the future and completely fill out your profile.

Moreover, check to see your connections and remove the ones you no longer want to be affiliated with. This is where it helps to be extra thorough since social media platforms can be quite complicated, and you might not even be aware of everything and everyone you’re linked to.

Do an online search of your name or brand to get an idea of what you’re fighting. This will let you tackle the problem more easily since you’ll have a better knowledge of what people might mistake you for. Make sure you do this regularly, as search results will vary over time, and new, harmful content can suddenly appear from nowhere.

Consider differentiating your name or brand from the one that is damaging your reputation. You can try a slightly different variation in spelling or go by a second name if necessary.

You can also consider contacting web authorities and site owners to take down content that poses risks to your reputation. Many websites have a report function that facilitates this process. For more aggressive measures, you can even contact a content removal specialist to take action on your behalf.

In this age, where information on anyone or any business is readily available on the internet, it’s important to stay on top of things to ensure a healthy and positive online reputation. Whether you’re a regular individual or a big company, the stakes are too high to ignore, and it would be wise to ensure that your name is not attached to anything that might harm you.

We’re an online reputation management company, get in touch with us to see how we can help.