Managing Your Online Reputation: Why It’s Important and How to Protect Yourself and Your Small Business

By Kathy Simpson

Published June 23, 2017 | The Hartford, Small Biz Ahead Newsletter

Your business’s good reputation is one of its greatest assets. It differentiates you from the competition, and customers will pay a premium to do business with a reliable company they can trust.

In the past, a business’s reputation was established over time by word of mouth. Today, thanks to the Internet, reputations can quickly rise and fall based on online commentary instantly accessible to a wide audience. A great review can bring a welcome flood of business. A bad appraisal can do your business harm.

Defamatory statements, whether written or posted online, may be considered libel in a court of law. Most general liability policies offer protection for libelous damage your business may cause to another business or individual. Conversely, you can sue an offending party if you believe your business is the victim of false or damaging statements. However, such lawsuits can be costly and difficult to prove, and in the digital era when unexpected comments can pop up in surprising places, you need to pick your battles… [More]

To read the full article by Kathy Simpson, visit: Managing Your Online Reputation