Online Reputation For Politicians: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
What is online reputation for politicians? Likely the most important thing to tend to when building your public service career.
What is online reputation for politicians? Likely the most important thing to tend to when building your public service career.
If you’re a politician, you know that perception is everything. While the truth is important, what really matters is what others perceive about you. That is why it is essential to safeguard your online reputation.
For politicians, information that is floating around on the web, even if it is decades old, can derail political campaigns. It can even take away your power in office. The wrong online reputation can have you removed from various committees. It can also be a handicap when it comes to political negotiations.
Unfortunately, it is not enough to simply manage your online reputation. You need to be in control of the information about you. That is why the management and control of your online reputation for politicians is so critical.
What Do You Need to Know About Your Online Reputation for Politicians?
Politicians are natural targets for opposition research and smear campaigns on the Internet. Some politicians will actively work to diminish your reputation while boosting their own.
It’s the nature of the game in the world of politics. One you must prepare for with an effective reputation management strategy.
How to Repair and Manage Your Online Reputation as a Politician
Managing your online reputation isn’t a one-shot deal. There are many steps in the process. It probably feels like a full-time job if you have a competitor who is playing dirty politics on the web.
Take these steps to wrestle control of your online reputation from your political opponents. And to kick things up a notch!
1. Take Control of Your Online Reputation for Politicians by Completing Your Online Profiles
The internet is filled with opportunities to let people know who you are. As a politician, you need to provide consistent information about yourself on multiple platforms.
Filling out your online profiles in various social media arenas is a good place to begin. These are some of the platforms where you need to start.
- YouTube
Don’t forget to take advantage of professional organizations you’re associated with as well as civic organizations, fraternal organizations, etc. Filling out online profiles is an easy way to begin building your political brand.
Remember, though, that consistency is key.
2. Prepare Yourself – Attacks are Coming
Today’s internet is a battleground. Anything you say online is subject to dissection and attack. Especially by your political opponents, pundits, and anyone seeking fifteen seconds of fame.
Once you enter the political arena, you will be attacked. On some days, it will feel as if everyone is trying to take a bite out of you. Even people who are supposed to be on your side.
3. Engage the Services of a Reputation Management and Monitoring Organization
Professional reputation management and monitoring services know all the tricks of the trade. They can help you remove negative information on the web about you. This is vital for your political career.
Online reputation management services also promote the positive. Which is even better.
Using these services frees up your precious time. Time you can now devote to doing the important work you entered the proverbial lion’s den to do.
4. Generate Positive Content About Yourself
Go out and do good things. Then tell the story. Get to know your constituents. Roll up your sleeves and volunteer. Have conversations with people who live and work in your district. This creates good press for you. That’s true.
It does so much more, though. Creating new content allows you to connect with the people in your community. It helps you earn their respect and, eventually, trust.
Content can also help people see that you are walking the walk and not just spouting talking points.
The more good deeds you do within your community, though, the more the press and others will report on the things you’re doing. This generates positive press through social media, press releases, blog posts, and countless other avenues.
5. Engage with Followers on Multiple Social Media Platforms
Politics has changed in the last two decades. Even small-town politics play out on social media today. People have access in a way that was never possible before.
As a politician, you can either roll with it or ignore it. If you choose to ignore social media, though, you do so at your own political peril.
If you roll with it, the rewards can be amazing. When you connect with your followers on social media, these are the things that can happen for you:
- You’re invited to speak at schools, civic groups, and even local businesses to motivate students, people, employees, etc.
- More people hear your message through social media.
- Your messages go viral as people share them with their friends, family, and coworkers.
- Your followers get a feel for who you really are.
- More people are drawn to your message and to vote for you.
- More people volunteer to work on your campaign.
- People get to know the person behind the candidate.
Just remember to ignore internet trolls. These are the people who are trying to get you riled up and force you to make a mistake that could cost you votes. Don’t fall for it. Stay on message.
Consider hiring someone to help you manage your social media posts. Otherwise, they may take up too much of your time.
6. Respond to Negative Information About You
Don’t ignore negative statements about you. Especially if they are untrue. Instead, respond in a reasoned, intentional manner.
Even if they are true, though, you can turn the negative into a positive by acknowledging a mistake and making changes going forward.
Ignoring it, though, will not make it go away.
When you’re working to build your online reputation for politicians, you must look for ways to always turn negatives into positives. Learning to do this now, will help you develop creative methods for continuing to do so in life and in politics.
7. Build a Website and Start a Blog
The best thing you can do to make sure your side of the story is always available to potential voters is to create a website. This is a place where you are in control of the information.
Of course, you have to consistently update your website with the following:
- A steady stream of campaign updates.
- Photographs of you doing the work of a political leader.
- Favorable press clippings.
- Statements about the issues that are important to you.
- Responses to negative information generated about you on other websites or news pieces.
Invest in effective SEO management for your website and update frequently throughout the day. Do this so that there is always a steady supply of positive and accurate information about you as a politician (and a person) being released online.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to invest in security for your website and blog. Cyber attacks are often used by your opponents or their followers. These attacks are often meant to embarrass you.
They can also discredit you and make you look weak to voters.
