Your brand’s reputation is how others feel about your brand—and those others can be anyone from potential or existing customers, partners, vendors, the media, stakeholders, shareholders, and the public at large. Every aspect of your business can have an impact on your brand reputation, including:

• Your customer service, from your in-store experience to your call center and how easy it is for customers to return products or share feedback on a service.
• The quality of your goods or services.
• The professional (and personal) life of any member of your team, especially your CEO, and other key leaders.
• The causes and nonprofit organizations you support.
• What your business publishes on social media and web.
• Content shared publicly about or referencing your company, including unfavorable press and client reviews that may or may not be true.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, your brand reputation is more vulnerable than ever. In our increasingly interconnected global society—where a single tweet or social media post can be amplified through a viral hashtag and become front-page news in a matter of hours—companies must understand the importance of maintaining a positive brand reputation.

It can take years to grow a solid customer base and a trustworthy business reputation—but only moments to watch that reputation crumble. And rebuilding a brand reputation is even more difficult than building it from scratch because you’re trying to dig out from a negative position rather than starting the process from zero.

Stated simply, professional reputation management companies focus on creating a favorable online presence that best represents the good will, trust and relationship capital you have offline accurately on the internet. This likely includes publishing and ranking positive news and existing digital assets, while also downplaying the negative search results where required. This is accomplished by applying a keen understanding of the factors that search engines—specifically Google—use to rank the most relevant and high-quality information. Achieving results requires a flexible process for continuous optimization of your brand’s content on search engine results pages (SERPs). Reputation management companies use many strategies, including:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The ongoing process for raking content on specific keywords that define your business, including your name and goods or services you provide.

Content development: Content is still king, and it’s essential that you regularly feature quality, relevant content on both websites that you own and in earned media.

Social media management/monitoring: Even if you aren’t active on every social media channel, it’s crucial that you own your social media profiles to avoid confusion and monitor what others are saying about your business on these platforms.

Negative results: If there are negative search results about your business, a reputation management firm can help develop strategies that promote positive content for counteracting what is harmful or defamatory

Your brand reputation is one of the most valuable—if not the most valuable—elements of your business—which is why it’s surprising that so many companies decide to risk their brand reputation, leaving themselves completely vulnerable to crisis.

The first step to protecting your brand reputation is monitoring what is being said about your company online. The name of the game here is breadth, so we recommend that you monitor at least the following for your company, key employees and primary competitors:

• Google search results
• Google news results
• Google image results
• Social media results (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, etc.)
• Review sites (Google, industry-specific review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, G2Crowd, Avvo etc.)

There are several viable free and paid tools to help automate some or all of the monitoring process. Even then, the reporting received requires human interaction for understanding the initial input, interpreting results and determining the most appropriate course of action. And how often should you review monitoring results? Crisis communications case studies would suggest daily—to be able to see potential issues brewing before they turned into large problems or heated conversations—but this may not be practical for most busy companies, with research showing that many review quarterly at most.

Instead, savvy businesses prefer to entrust their most valuable business asset to a professional reputation management firm. A reputation management firm keeps intelligent eyes on the pulse of your online reputation with diligent monitoring, communication and optimization.

Team members at your company cannot always successfully manage or control what others say about your business—so if there is a negative review, an erroneous Facebook post, or an unflattering blog, you may want to consider a reputation management company with experience in a wide range of situations, including how to effectively contact the author or publishing website to request the removal and deindexing of a particular link. Naturally, there are many considerations that dictate which solutions may be the right fit.

In some situations, the best way to deal with negative search results is to promote positive results about your business—things like case study blog posts, numerous positive reviews, testimonial-driven social media posts, and other types of media to highlight your success or expertise. Your reputation management firm will work with you to develop a strategy and supporting content to counter the negative and defamatory results. Ensure that the team you engage continuously optimizes the positive content and tweaks the initial plan when results materialize.

Fixing a business’ reputation is a multi-step process that you must be willing to tackle with humility and determination.

The first step is figuring out what went wrong—what was the specific source of the issue? Was this a long-term issue with the slipping quality of your products or an acute problem with an inappropriate or controversial comment by your CEO?

• Next, publicly acknowledge what happened and what you are doing to fix it. Apologize openly on social media. Use all of the channels available to you—your website, social media, press releases and advertising to amplify the message that you’re making this change.
• Ensure that, in your statements, you’re putting your customer and their needs first. People’s natural inclination is to wonder, “What’s in it for me” and they will be even more suspicious if you’ve recently stumbled. Ensure that communication is genuine and your focus is in the right place.
• Follow through on your commitment. Prove to your customers that you’ve fixed the problem and you’re serious about resolving it. For example, if the problem was product quality, reach out with post-purchase quality surveys to document your progress; if the problem was an insensitive public remark by your CEO, highlight positive press and build an educational campaign around a new initiative or social impact.
• Get in front of the next issue. Open up communication lines with your customers and your employees to identify potential problems before they cascade into crises.

Fixing a bad business reputation can feel overwhelming. Your dedicated reputation management firm will help guide you through the process of rehabilitating your business reputation.

Brand reputation management is one of the most important and foundational aspects of your business strategy. Chances are, your business is either neglecting it or doing it wrong. If so, it does so at its peril, in terms of both profits and its future.

Data science is an emerging field of information science that uses algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and other advanced digital tools to examine and extract knowledge and value from enormous sets of both structured and unstructured data, known as Big Data. Structured data is information that is either already organized or can be easily organized, such as information in spreadsheets. Unstructured data is such information as photos, video, and audio that must be organized before it can be analyzed.

Data science has a wide variety of applications and is used in many fields, from business to medicine to education. For example, NASA uses data science techniques and algorithms to automatically compare stellar photos over time, which helps it discover comets and exoplanets.

Businesses, even relatively small ones, generate massive amounts of data through their normal daily processes, including customer demographic data, customer interactions, sales information, logistical and shipping information, product information, and internal employee and communication information.

This data can be recorded and organized, and companies can then mine it for insights not only into their customers but also into the efficiency of their business model and other aspects of the way they function. But analyzing this data and putting it to good use requires expertise to avoid the risk of delving into a large trove of data and drawing incorrect and therefore unhelpful conclusions.

Data science takes an asset you already have—data—and draws insights and information from it that can be used to create optimal and more dynamic business strategies. It can help paint a more accurate picture of both who your customers are and what they want from you. Data science is able to recognize and highlight patterns in data and to separate the information that is important and valuable to your business from the information that can be ignored or cast aside. The technological edge data science provides can give any business an advantage over its competition in a world of increasing reliance on information.

Whether your company is ready for data science depends on several factors. Many businesses have collected more information than they realize, so engaging an outside consultant to review their position could be useful for almost any business with plans for the future. If nothing else, having an expert provide a clearer understanding of how and why a business could benefit from data science can facilitate any subsequent strategy decisions that a business must make.

For a business to be ready to use data science, it must first be aware of the commitment involved in doing so. In many cases, if not most, a data science strategy should be folded into a company’s overall digital transformation because the power and effectiveness of many advanced tech options for business, such as Big Data, Cloud Computing, and the like, are enhanced when used in cooperation with each other. To extract the greatest value and result from data science, a business should apply it in tandem with these other options.

Any business interested in data science should have an expert examine its current situation in terms of data intake and assets, network and IT infrastructure, current trainable staff (or the potential creation of new positions) that could handle data science issues moving forward, and other such considerations.

For some businesses, “getting ready” for data science might not be necessary, or at least not in the traditional context of business expansion. Other options are available. For example, hiring an outside firm with extensive expertise in data science and other advanced tech might be easier and more efficient for companies that wish to hit the ground running with respect to putting their data to good use. An objective, outside viewpoint might be better suited for implementation than trying to build a new section of your IT department from scratch. Even if you have employees on staff who could possibly meet the requirements, they may not have the capability or experience to exceed expectations and deliver a leap up the value curve.

Data science and Big Data can overlap substantially, but understanding what distinguishes one from the other is important. The general term Big Data refers to the current explosion of data we are experiencing in the digital age, including the gathering and exploitation of large data sets and the ways that data is recorded and stored.

Data science is a more specific, academic term that refers to the various techniques used to examine and analyze massive data sets. Data science encompasses issues of statistics and statistical modeling and the way data is organized and categorized. It often focuses on finding patterns, values, and insights in massive data sets.

To simplify, data science concerns the science of information, whereas Big Data is about the application of data science to information in the real world.

Your business could most likely benefit from input from data scientists, but this does not mean that you need to hire them directly. Some companies (especially tech-focused businesses and those that have undergone a complete digital transformation) have in-house data analysts and departments focused on data science and Big Data. But hiring an outside expert or consultancy might be more practical and efficient (meaning less expensive).

A consultancy’s data scientists can assist a business according to its unique needs, such as a specific project, through periodic consultations, or on a continuous basis. An outside data specialist can often provide a clearer, more objective view of a company’s data assets and thereby illuminate blind spots the company might have been unaware of.

By applying data science, a business is better able to understand the needs of its customers and its employees. It can identify patterns in customer preferences that it’s never seen before and improve shipping and logistics from top to bottom. As a result, data science allows companies to seize new opportunities for growth and improve their bottom line through straightforward improvements to efficiency.

Because the volume of data in Big Data is so immensely large, no single human being, or even a team of human beings, can sift through it in a reasonable amount of time. Data science is the key to gaining insights and benefits from all the information a company possesses but is unable to analyze and apply on its own.

Businesses need to be very careful when using the terms “Data Science” and “Big Data.” They are more than just buzzwords companies use to sound up-to-date. Data Science refers to a set of computational and mathematical techniques, and Big Data is the raw material that Data Science uses. And, like all processes, Data Science carries with it both risks and rewards. It can guide your business to greater efficiency and effectiveness in almost every area. It can help you streamline practices, from advertising to inventory. But it can also overwhelm and blind you, trapping you in a “data only” mind-set, which could misguide and halt critical thinking with respect to your business. If you want to use Big Data to help your company grow and succeed, you need a skilled, experienced partner to guide you.

Digital transformation involves four primary areas: people, processes, customers, and offerings.

First, a company’s people are at the heart of the business and also at the heart of that business’s digital transformation. Getting buy-in from all stakeholders is vital, from company leadership to front-line employees, so that everyone feels invested in the plan and its success. Technology should be thought about in a way that empowers all a company’s employees to have the information and tools they need to serve customers most effectively.

Second, optimizing processes is a huge part of digital transformation because optimization supports a business’s people, allowing them to work smarter and focus their time and talents on high-value tasks. Technology that can automate and alleviate repetitive tasks reduces the chance of error and allows employees to shine.

Third, engaging, delighting, and surprising customers should be a business’s primary focus, and a successful digital transformation will allow that to happen more easily. With the right technology in place, a company can deploy targeted campaigns, test personalized messaging and offers, track results, and optimize future campaigns, constantly improving the customer experience.

Fourth, a business should continually look at its product or service offerings through the lens of digital transformation. Technology improves rapidly, and innovation happens quickly. So what improvements can a company make to its offerings? To determine this, businesses can be proactive in assessing their offerings, anticipating their customers’ needs and wants, and harnessing the available technology to improve their products or services

In many situations, artificial intelligence (AI) should be a part of digital transformation. Why? Two words: big data.

Every day, businesses collect a staggering amount of data—personal data, transaction data, demographic data, behavioral data, and so on. Multiply those bits of data for each person who browses and each person who buys, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and one can easily see how the amount of data produced can quickly become overwhelming. Looking at this customer data as a whole and discerning any kind of meaningful pattern or trend is nearly impossible.

This is where AI comes in. AI is perfectly suited for analyzing massive amounts of data and identifying patterns and trends within it. Although it might not be able to reveal the why behind a specific pattern—for that, the trusty human brain is needed to draw conclusions—it can pinpoint, for example, the segment of a business’s customer base that is most opportune for growth

Numerous trends have emerged in the realm of digital transformation, from AI and machine learning to multi-cloud architecture. However, we see the following as three of the top trends for the year ahead:

• The continued democratization of technology: The more people within an organization who can use technology to accomplish their goals—without IT intervention—the more effective and efficient that organization can be. As vendors continue to focus on delivering innovative solutions that enable non-technical users to take advantage of highly complex technology through intuitive, user-friendly, self-service interfaces, employees will be empowered to autonomously make smarter decisions.
• An upswing in customer data platforms (CDPs): Businesses today collect an incredible amount of data about their customers at a variety of touchpoints—in stores, via call centers, through email, online, and so on—but aggregating all this data into a 360-degree view of the customer has been difficult. This is where CDPs can help. CDPs provide a single source of customer information, allowing business units across an enterprise—from customer service to marketing and sales—to have a holistic, comprehensive view of a specific customer’s every interaction with the company at their fingertips. We expect investments in these platforms to continue to grow.
• Automation: Savvy businesses are always looking for opportunities to use technology to optimize processes—not only can it help streamline operations, but after the initial investment, it can also reduce costs and enhance productivity. We anticipate that companies will continue implementing technology to automate parts of their operations that will allow employees to focus on higher-value, more important tasks.

Digital transformation benefits project management in two primary ways. First, the tools being used on a project are continuously updated to be their most efficient and effective. Cloud Computing and online communication mean that location and distance are no longer obstacles for effective remote collaboration, and Big Data allows companies to adjust to their projected needs. Additionally, the application of digital tools and products provides wide-ranging flexibility for dealing with any unexpected roadblocks encountered in development.

Second, digital transformation reduces, and in some cases, can completely eliminates the risk of project outcomes becoming obsolete in the future. Because the framework is continuously updating, the project can remain consistently at the cutting edge of technology long after it has been launched.

What digital transformation contributes to business models is the capacity for continuous change. Many executives know that they must adapt to new business environments, and adaptation is a core feature of digital transformation. Because a business model that incorporates digital transformation will subsequently be digital “down to the bone,” the company will be able to function much more quickly and efficiently, and improve continuously over time.

Prior digital changes to a business could involve, for example, updating the company’s software, purchasing new design tools, and improving logistics strategies. Once digital transformation has been implemented, such tasks are performed continuously and automated where possible. The concept is similar to the difference between an encyclopedia and Wikipedia. With an encyclopedia, you have to buy a new edition whenever the previous one becomes outdated, whereas the pages of Wikipedia are continuously, and often instantly, updated as new information becomes available.

A business’s digital transformation often involves every level of management and requires the commitment of those in leadership positions from the top down. Typically, a head technology officer such as a CTO or similar will oversee the project and integrate the efforts of all departments as the new way of doing things is implemented. This oversight is necessary because when digital transformation fails, the primary reason is most often uneven implementation or an unwillingness on the part of certain departments to participate.

Digital transformation is often achieved through the creation of a long-term, multistage plan, with each stage involving tracked goals and benchmarks. Changes to such elements as digital tools, payroll and invoicing systems, network structures, and the like are implemented and tested, and all the departments involved are kept in continuous contact with the internal and/or external people who are enacting the changes. That way, any factor that slows progress can be quickly addressed and problems solved immediately.

Like the internet was before it, digital transformation is the future. Many businesses, especially those in the technology sector, either have already adopted this business model or were created with it from day one. As a result, companies that ignore or fail to implement digital transformations are putting themselves at risk.

For the business industry as a whole, digital transformation presents an incredible opportunity to improve efficiency, automate tedious and wasteful processes, and be stronger competitors in their sector. Additionally, digital transformation allows companies to be more agile, capable of adapting to changing business conditions with relative ease.

Digital transformation can greatly improve a business’s efficiency, from its hiring practices to logistics and customer service. Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Big Data provides businesses with insights into their customers’ needs and interests. Most importantly, the flexibility that comes with being “digital first” allows any company to quickly and skillfully transition into new functions that cater to what their customers want. This in turn creates spectacular growth opportunities for agile companies.

Additionally, a digitally transformed business can integrate automation into such departments as billing, payroll, and customer service, meaning that employees can be reassigned to more useful, complex duties that make better use of their talents. Employee satisfaction and productivity rise, while the tedium of certain repetitive tasks is eliminated.

A business can develop a digital transformation strategy in-house or using outside expertise. Doing so in-house can give a company greater control over the process. After all, the business knows best what it wants. But recruiting the necessary expertise and training current employees in the digital transformation process can be difficult, which tends to slow down the transformation process.

For most businesses, hiring an outside consultant is often the best choice and offers the greatest value. An outside consultant is able to more objectively analyze a company’s digital transformation needs, develop an overall strategy for the transformation, and implement the necessary changes, step by step. Additionally, a consultancy that specializes in digital transformation will have the deep expertise needed to ensure that the process is executed correctly the first time.

Not all experts are created equally—and when it comes to expert witnesses, state and federalcourts have specific rules about who can be considered an expert witness.

In a federal court, the Federal Rules of Evidence deem that a qualified expert witness is someone who “is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or educationmay testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise if: the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue; the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data; the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods; and the expert has reliably applied the principles and methods to the facts of the case.”

In layman’s terms, the difference between an expert witness and a non-expert witness comes down to opinion. Expert witnesses are generally asked to give their expert or professional opinion on a situation. In contrast, non-expert witnesses can only testify about facts—what they directly saw or heard—not about their thoughts or opinions.

Often considered one of the most critical elements of civil and criminal cases, expert witnesses are an integral part of the court system. An expert witness is someone that the court has determined is qualified to provide information and explanation to the jury to understand the case better. And as you may imagine, it takes specialized skills, training, education, and experience to be considered an expert witness.

At the time of the trial, the expert witness must be qualified by the court, and qualification is not a one-time event; each time the expert witness will be offering his/her opinion on a case, they must be requalified anew, regardless of any expert witness history.

The expert witness must always remember that their highest obligation is to the court, regardless of which party is paying their fee.

The expert witness is in the courtroom to provide their independent, expert opinion on the matter at hand. Their top priority is always to provide their truthful, impartial opinion—regardless of if their opinion benefits the party paying their fees. Additionally, the expert witness may be expected to provide a written report for the court attesting to their opinion and findings.

However, there are also a number of things that expert witnesses are NOT expected to do. Expert witnesses are not in court to advocate or argue for a particular side or a specific outcome for the case, nor are they there to give an opinion on anything outside of their narrow area of expertise. Additionally, expert witnesses are not there to advise what evidence or information should or should not be presented to the jury.

Under U.S. law, an expert witness is someone whose opinion on a specific matter before a court of law is considered “expert” by the court because of that individual’s education, scholarship, and/or overall experience. Any testimony or evidence given by the expert witness is called an “expert opinion,” is submitted to the case as evidence, and can be rebutted in court by witnesses, conflicting evidence, or other experts.

Different countries have different standards for who can qualify as an expert witness and what the person can testify about. In the United States, each state has its own laws or guidelines about expert witness testimony in its state and local courts.

Additionally, while some expert witnesses may testify as an “objective” witness for the court’s and the jury’s benefit, individual parties in a court case can hire or consult with their own experts to prepare reports for the court or to testify, to provide information or argument on a client’s behalf.

An expert witness report, whether intended to be submitted directly to a court or used for the benefit of one party in a case, is a written summary of the expert’s examination of and opinion on the case at hand. It typically includes the expert’s qualifications and experience, often with a CV, if applicable, along with a list of cases for which the expert witness has previously testified.

The report lists all the documents and evidence the expert reviewed in preparing the report, along with an explanation of why the expert witness’s opinion is applicable to the case. The expert outlines the development, analysis, and justification of their opinion of the case. The report typically ends with the expert’s opinion on the matters of judgment and damages, if applicable.

Ultimately, the report is either used by legal counsel to form arguments for their client or submitted to the court as evidence.

Compensation for expert witnesses varies widely, depending on the nature of their contribution to a case, the amount of time and effort involved, and various other factors. Expert witnesses are typically compensated on an hourly basis but are sometimes paid an overall fee instead if the work is performed on a “per project” basis. Expert witnesses might also be compensated for research time, costs, and other expenses involved in providing their opinion.

For example, an expert witness might be paid $400 per hour for research and testimony, in addition to having their travel and lodging expenses reimbursed. Or they might be paid a lump sum of $10,000 for all work involved in the development of their expert opinion on a specific case. Again, costs can vary widely and depend on individual circumstances.

Technically speaking, anyone can become an expert witness as long as their qualifications as such are accepted by a court. By recognizing someone as an expert witness, a judge essentially makes them an expert witness.

In practice, a person can be an expert witness only if they have significant knowledge and experience in a specific field, whether through scholarship and study, a lengthy professional career, or similar circumstances.

To become an expert witness, an individual must present their credentials as an expert witness to the court, and the presiding judge must recognize them as an expert witness. An expert witness must be re-qualified every time they are to be presented as such in a court of law.

Specific restrictions are placed on what an expert witness can and cannot testify to. Expert witnesses are permitted to give their opinions only on matters for which they are deemed qualified as having expertise. This distinction is very important in circumscribing what is often heavily weighted testimony.

Expert witnesses are a specific exception to the “hearsay rule.” Traditional witnesses can testify only to what they know and have experienced and are not permitted to speculate about hypotheticals or report third-party testimony. Expert witnesses, however, may discuss hypotheticals and other “hearsay” matters, as long as those matters are within the purview of their expertise. For example, an expert witness who is a surgeon can discuss hypotheticals within a medical malpractice case, including background and contextual information, as long as their testimony does not extend beyond that subject.

That said, expert witnesses must take an oath to testify truthfully and obey all court rules and procedures, such as respecting the “chain of custody” when handling and examining evidence.

In addition to qualifications to substantiate their opinions, expert witnesses need several different skills to be effective. Expert witnesses must be able to clearly and concisely present to a court issues that are often complex and difficult for a layperson to understand. Any expert witness who wishes to maintain their credibility must also be able to speak truth to power, providing their honest, good-faith opinion on the matters before them, even if the person or law firm that hired them would prefer a different conclusion.

Additionally, the ability to testify in court with confidence and to answer difficult or loaded questions from opposing counsel on cross-examination are valuable skills for any witness, but especially for an expert witness. The expert’s opinion often carries a great deal of weight in complicated legal proceedings, and that responsibility must be taken seriously.

Typically, an expert witness is someone whose level of scholarship, knowledge, or professional experience in a specific or specialized field allows them to provide testimony—their “expert opinion”—before a court of law on the evidence or circumstances of a criminal or civil case. A court must recognize this person as a qualified “expert witness” before they can testify as such.

Less formally, an expert witness’s qualifications will usually include previous experience as an expert witness, the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, and the capacity to justify their expert opinion in the circumstances and evidence of the case in combination with their own experience in their specialized field.

Expert witnesses can be sued only under very specific circumstances. Traditionally, witnesses brought before a court are immune from liability, even if they make a mistake in their testimony. This is to prevent witnesses from being discouraged from testifying by the threat of a lawsuit from the opposing party. That said, expert witnesses who knowingly present false information under oath are subject to charges of perjury, just like any other witness testifying in court.

Additionally, recent court rulings have allowed suits to be brought against expert witnesses who are negligent or fraudulent in their professional duties. A lawsuit against an expert witness is typically undertaken only when that witness commits a provable act of malpractice or other fraud. Indeed, some law firms have sued their own expert witnesses for breach of contract after discovering that the witnesses were lying or presenting fraudulent evidence to the court. Expert witnesses cannot be sued simply for giving evidence or forming an expert opinion that the opposing party disagrees with. The expert opinion might be challenged in cross-examination, however, or be rebutted with evidence or additional expert witness testimony.

Police officers can be called as expert witnesses to testify either strictly on matters of law enforcement or on other police-related matters where the court recognizes their expertise. They are not permitted to testify about legal matters or the minutiae of the law (that is the purview of lawyers). Although law enforcement officers can form conclusions based on evidence presented in a case in their “expert opinion,” they cannot make statements as to a defendant’s guilt or innocence, given a defendant’s right to a fair trial. Police officers acting as expert witnesses will often testify on police procedure, rules of arrest, or correct steps for gathering evidence.

Additionally, even police officers who are not recognized as expert witnesses by a court can testify to certain things because of their training and experience. Traffic police, for example, are often extensively trained to accurately recognize the speed of a moving vehicle, usually within a few miles per hour, without the use of equipment such as a radar gun, and courts will generally recognize that estimation as evidence, depending on the circumstances.

When a dispute or charge comes before a court, that court has a duty to weigh the evidence presented so it can come to a fair decision. Yet justice can be served, only when the parties weighing the evidence have a sound understanding of it. Often, the subject matter of a case falls far outside the realm of common knowledge, and an expert is needed to assist the court in fully understanding the key information involved.

In most such circumstances, an expert is charged with providing unbiased analysis and opinion, from their perspective as a qualified specialist, that illuminate the facts of the case. Once an expert’s opinions and reports have been presented to the court, they are typically treated as evidence—and can therefore have considerable influence over the outcome of the case.

Stated simply, e-commerce is the sale of goods or services online. The word “e-commerce” makes many people automatically think of an online store such as Amazon—and they would be correct. Amazon is an iconic example of an e-commerce site, but plenty of other examples exist as well.

Acronyms are often used to refer to the three different types of e-commerce. The first is B2C, which stands for Business to Consumer. B2C e-commerce is when businesses sell products directly to consumers. This is the type of e-commerce many people are most familiar with (e.g., Amazon).

The second type is B2B, or Business to Business. B2B e-commerce involves companies selling directly to other companies. For example, Medline sells medical supplies to long-term care centers, physicians’ offices, and other businesses in the medical industry.

The third is C2C, or Consumer to Consumer. In C2C e-commerce, consumers sell products or services directly to other consumers. eBay is probably the best-known example of a C2C e-commerce site.

Countless e-commerce sites exist. Chances are that if someone is seeking a particular item or service, there is an e-commerce site that offers it! Here are just a few examples:

SplendidBeast.com (B2C): Provides customized, hand-painted pet portraits that depict customers’ furry friends as aristocrats or monarchs.

Fluevog.com (B2C): Sells artfully designed and eco-friendly footwear crafted by Canadian shoe designer John Fluevog.

Grainger.com (B2B): Provides industrial supplies and equipment for businesses in various trades.

Chocomize.com (B2B): Specializes in customized chocolate candy gifts and promotions for corporations and businesses. Customers can search by product, occasion, and budget.

eBay.com (C2C): Allows individuals to buy or sell practically anything to anyone. This global e-commerce platform is considered the granddaddy of all C2C websites.

Uber.com (C2C): Connects people who are seeking transportation to a specific destination via automobile with people who want to earn money providing others with such rides.

Instagram is a photo and video social networking service that millions of people use to share and engage with visual content and learn about new products. In fact, Instagram’s research shows that 70% of shoppers see the platform as a place to find new products. And Instagram Shopping offers businesses a way to highlight their goods and get them in front of potential customers.

Instagram users are able to learn more about a company’s products within the app. If they like what they see, they can even purchase the desired items via the Instagram app or click through a link to complete their purchase on the provider’s website.

The future of e-commerce is bright, indeed.

We anticipate that brands will continue to push the boundaries of personalization in an effort to engage with customers and provide them with experiences that indicate that they are truly paying attention to the customer’s wants, needs, and preferences.

We also predict an increase in the number of brands offering hybrid e-commerce approaches, such as those that enable customers to order products online, then pick them up at a local brick-and-mortar location. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that people like the option of purchasing things online and having their order fulfilled locally. This allows them to avoid shipping time and costs while still being able to enjoy all the conveniences of online shopping and ordering.

We’re keeping an eye on video e-commerce, with Instagram and other companies actively building e-commerce functionality into their video platform offerings. With the rise of TikTok and other video platforms, e-commerce monetization can’t be far behind.

The specific mechanics of managing an e-commerce website depend on which platform is used as the provider, but the basics of creating and running a successful e-commerce website remain the same:

1. Identify the necessary help (e.g., hosting, marketing assistance, web designers)
2. Determine the product catalog
3. Define the target market
4. Create a secure, user-friendly site
5. Pinpoint outreach channels and launch marketing/public relations
6. Review data and optimize efforts

Of all these steps, perhaps the most important one is the first—identifying the necessary help. Finding and retaining good partners who can be trusted to help in making strategic, informed decisions is essential for the success of an e-commerce website and business. The right partners can make the difference between an ordinary e-commerce site and an extraordinary one, so the proper time, effort, and research should be invested into choosing them wisely.

Put simply, personal reputation management is taking control of what people find when they search for you online. Personal reputation management aims to suppress or remove permanently any negative or irrelevant search results while simultaneously boosting and increasing the number of positive, relevant results.

Personal Reputation Management Companies—like us here at Blue Ocean Global Technology—focus on helping individuals manage their online reputation. We educate you on your options and help you build, monitor, protect and repair a digital presence that favorably represents who you are. To learn more about how we can help you, share your contact information here.

Many things can cause a “bad” online reputation. Any search result that links to embarrassing or negative stories about you could certainly be considered bad—for example, a link that leads to an article mentioning your arrest, a news story that details your nasty divorce and custody battle, or a link to an unflattering video clip could all be considered part of a “bad” reputation.

But negative, embarrassing results aren’t the only things that can damage your personal reputation. Misleading or erroneous results can also be problematic. For example, imagine if someone who shares the same name as you authors a white supremacy blog or regularly tweets racist language—people searching for you may choose not to do business with you based on their findings.

Another way you can have a bad reputation is by having no reputation at all. If your name returns no (or few) relevant search results, this may cause concern and psychological noise—especially in internet-forward industries where a robust online presence is considered the “norm.”

Thankfully, a “bad” online reputation doesn’t have to be permanent. Personal online reputation management companies like Blue Ocean Global Technology specialize in fixing bad online reputations.

Your online reputation is how all people, including clients, prospects, partners, investors and those surfing the internet, perceive you or your business. There are many things that you can do to improve your personal online reputation. The first step is to perform an audit of your current online reputation. This audit provides a baseline or snapshot of your online reputation, helping you determine your next steps.

If you’re like many people, an online search for you leads to a combination of positive, irrelevant, and negative search results. In essence, to improve your personal online reputation, you want to increase the number of positive results that populate (and rank) on search engines, create high domain authority links, push negative results down, and clear up any confusing or irrelevant results.

Channels that you own—like your website and blog—give you the most control over your personal reputation and personal brand. And platforms that you use, like LinkedIn and Facebook, also allow you to craft your online reputation in a way that most accurately reflects you.

But don’t forget about the power of earned media. You don’t have control over these sites, but the more positive information you have there the better your reputation. A newspaper website that quotes you as an expert, a review site that positively mentions you and your business, or an industry website that publishes an article with your byline are all places that can positively impact your online reputation.

Our team will audit your online reputation and provide you a customized personal reputation management check-list. Reach out to us in confidence for your digital marketing or reputation consultation.

Cleaning up your online reputation is possible, but it’s something that doesn’t happen overnight. As we’ve mentioned, the first step is to perform an audit of your online reputation to understand the specific search results that are positive, negative, and irrelevant. After you understand where you stand, it’s a matter of improving and increasing the number of positive results so that any negative results are less relevant, as well as dealing with any irrelevant results.

What if you find “bad” or irrelevant results? Many people erroneously believe that the best approach is to contact the offending website and ask them to remove the result; however, this rarely works and can even inflame the situation. One strategy that may yield results is to optimize any owned or earned media channels featuring positive content. Many individuals and businesses choose to work with a personal reputation management firm like Blue Ocean Global Technology to monitor and optimize their online reputation.

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is also yes, but it’s worth noting that it can take time—and it’s never truly finished. Why does one search result appear above another? Search engine algorithms are highly confidential, so understanding how to impact search results is a combination of experience, knowledge and educated guesses. Everything from how old a domain is to its technical SEO and information quality are all taken into consideration when determining the placement of a specific result. You’ll want to keep these and other factors in mind as you’re determining the best strategy for fixing your online reputation.

If this sounds tedious and complicated, you’re right—it is. But you don’t have to repair your online reputation on your own. The best personal reputation management companies—like Blue Ocean Global Technology—help identify and resolve personal reputation issues, providing you with ongoing monitoring to identify potential reputation problems before they blossom into big issues. Get in touch with us for more information.

It’s always a smart idea to monitor your online reputation. Your first step is to perform a search yourself—searching for your name in Google and other search engines. Your name will have an impact on the kind of search you perform—if you have a common name that is likely shared by many people (e.g. Michael Smith) you’ll want to include in your search additional terms that someone is likely to use to specifically find you, like your company name or city. If your name is more unusual, the search results returned for your name are more likely to be accurate and specific to you.

Remember too that Google and other search engines use your personal search history to determine your search results—which means that the search results that you see for your name may be different than the search results that appear for others—and even searches performed in incognito mode or while you’re signed out may still be impacted. Consider performing searches for yourself via several different search engines and devices to receive a better, more comprehensive view of your true online reputation.

There are a number of reasons why personal online reputation management is necessary today. If you’re like most of us, you may Google the name of a potential boss, a prospective employee, or even a potential date—it’s human nature to be curious about the unknown, including people who are new to us. And whether you’re looking for a new job, are in a high-level, public-facing leadership position within a company, or simply want to see how others may view you, your personal reputation matters.

Your online reputation can have an impact on nearly every aspect of your life, so you must have a clear understanding of where you stand.

Great question. If you’re a hermit living in a cave or are otherwise “off the grid”, your online reputation (or lack thereof) will likely not impact your life—and you don’t need personal reputation management. But if you’re like the rest of us—living and working in this increasingly connected world—you can benefit from personal reputation management.

Remember the saying about never having a second chance to make a first impression? Today, your online presence IS your first impression. Optimizing your online reputation through personal reputation management allows you to put your best foot forward, showing the world the aspects of your professional (and potentially personal) life that creates the positive impression you seek to offer.

These days, Googling the name of a potential employee or new acquaintance is practically second nature; we’ve all done it. But when was the last time you performed a Google search on your own name? If you’re like many people, you maybe did it once but then haven’t given it a second thought since. This is one of those situations, however, where what you don’t know can hurt you.

The reality is that people are looking you up online and making decisions based on what they find. If the search results—which essentially form your online reputation—accurately reflect you and your personal brand, you’re in good shape. But if those results are negative or nonexistent, this can have a detrimental impact on your professional life.

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Public relations (PR) plays a critical role in the success of businesses and organizations. It helps define an entity’s brand, promote its messaging, and anticipate (as well as minimize) the impact of any unfavorable publicity. 

Distinguishing between PR and advertising is important; they are not the same. PR involves earned media, which is media that results from providing journalists with information through pitches, interviews, press releases, and other such avenues, whereas advertising is paid media. The two can be used together, but they are not synonymous.

Three primary examples of PR activities are issuing press releases, maintaining media relations, and managing crisis communications. 

Press releases are written announcements that organizations deliver to journalists and media outlets and that provide information about newsworthy happenings at that organization, such as a significant new hire, the introduction of a new product, or an award received.

Media relations involves developing relationships with journalists, bloggers, editors, and other content producers who cover topics of interest to a company and its clients and pitching timely, relevant stories to them (as well as scheduling interviews with key staff members) in an effort to generate positive media coverage.

Crisis communications requires creating a multipronged, proactive plan for dealing with potential public relations crises, including response plans, to protect a company or client’s

PR can be a great career path, offering many exciting opportunities in a variety of areas. In fact, U.S. News & World Report currently ranks PR as the #3 best creative and media job. And individuals interested in pursuing PR can choose from a number of career paths. 

For example, one option is to work for an agency, concentrating on PR activities for multiple clients at once as part of a team, with each person managing a particular aspect of a client’s promotional outreach. 

Another possibility is to work as in-house PR for a brand, either managing the business’s PR program single-handedly or coordinating outside agencies to work together on the company’s behalf. 

Some PR specialists work as freelancers, prioritizing one or two clients and handling pitching, media relations, and follow-up on their behalf. 

PR can also be just one of numerous tasks in a professional’s communication mandate within a company or nonprofit organization.

Whether PR qualifies as “good” depends on the particular client and their needs.

Most often, good PR takes the form of proactive, positive communication for a  brand that occurs on a regular basis. Examples of effective PR include the following:

• Positive stories about a brand appearing in targeted publications
• People talking favorably about a brand (e.g., “positive buzz” about a company)
• A company’s leadership being asked to give their opinions/quotes on related topics
• An increase in speaking engagements
• More extensive television/video/podcast coverage

In a crisis PR situation, on the other hand, the definition of “good PR” might be getting an unfavorable story about a brand out of the media, waiting for the commotion to die down, and then beginning the hard work of repairing that company’s reputation.

In any situation, good PR always involves the combination of effective research—into the publications, editors, bloggers, and journalists who cover the topics of interest to a business or its clients—persistence in building a real, meaningful relationship with these individuals, and understanding what truly makes a story unique, interesting, and inherently pitchable.

Anyone interested in working in PR should take relevant classes, including those related to communications, media studies, mass communications, and marketing. Such courses provide a core base of knowledge from which to build an applicable skill set, and employers look for this kind of training.

Also, taking advantage of PR internships at different organizations provides real-world experience that not only looks good on a resume but can also facilitate something even more valuable—the opportunity to discover which type of PR is most appealing personally. Interning in various situations can reveal the demands and style of different PR roles and responsibilities. For example, if someone likes working for multiple clients at once, a PR agency could be a good choice. But if handling PR for a single client or brand sounds more interesting, then being an in-house PR specialist for a business or nonprofit agency might be preferable.

The digital revolution has changed the business of Public Relations (PR) forever. Today, PR professionals must deal with not only traditional forms of media but also communications channels that have a habit of changing practically overnight. PR has always been about relationships and about using those relationships to promote your brand and your company. In the past, a PR representative might have needed simply to maintain a good rapport with a few members of the media, know how to write a compelling press release, and maybe do an occasional interview. That era is over.

PR is now a complicated and constant effort. It involves increasing measurable return on investment through new digital media content and innovative marketing approaches. It still requires all the traditional relationships, plus an abundance of new ones on social media, from old-school reporters to social influencers. It involves everything from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to snarky Twitter brands. And now more than ever, PR is tasked with projecting a company’s positive values as the public increasingly demands that businesses do real good in the world and that what they see and hear about various companies is not just for show.

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It is the process by which an entity (e.g., a website, person, business, or institution) engages in specific practices to change or improve its ranking on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) of internet search engines. The most common search engines targeted for SEO are Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo. SEO methods are customized for each search engine and the needs of individual parties.

There are ethical ways of performing SEO that stay within the bounds and rules of search engines, such as developing high-quality content associated with a person or business that achieves high rankings through its own merits. By contrast, “black hat” SEO techniques use less ethical means of improving search rankings, such as fake websites, manipulative website information, keyword bombing, and other tactics that search engines will punish with low rankings if detected.

The specific needs of each client dictate the ways in which SEO techniques are employed, but certain steps apply in most cases.

First, an SEO audit is conducted. This in-depth review will allow a company or an outside SEO consultant to inventory and explore a company’s current SEO standings with the major search engines. This will reveal areas where the company can easily improve, and where more work will be needed to improve its standing on search engine results pages. These tasks often involve keyword analysis, website management and organization, and other SEO improvement basics.

Second, multiple techniques are employed to remove or push down negative content or to replace it with positive content that ranks higher in search results. For removal, methods include contacting the hosting website or provider of the negative content and asking for the content to be updated or deleted. For positive content, strategies include publishing high-quality content that can backlink to the original site; connecting real, authentic social media accounts; and optimizing the person’s or business’s website to be search engine friendly. Search engine rankings can be addressed correctly in many different ways.

Finally, the slow progress of improving rankings is continuously monitored over long periods of time—usually months, and sometimes years. Because of the viral nature of the internet, negative content can emerge seemingly out of nowhere, as the result of someone sharing news on a popular social media account.

SEO tools are programs, software, and other applications that can be used to make websites search-engine friendly, increase the visibility of content, and generally improve a site’s ranking on Google, Bing, or another major search engine. Many of these tools can be used for optimization to ensure, for example, that Google’s web crawlers not only see a site but also recognize that it is filled with high-quality, well-made content.

Monitoring tools such as Google Alerts help you keep up with newly published content that includes specific keywords. As a result, you can react quickly to breaking news or information that could help or harm your search engine rankings.

Some SEO devices are as simple as a grammar and spellcheck tools for articles and webpages. Many search engines will include the quality of content as a factor in their rankings, with “quality” including elements such as proper grammar, correct spelling, good formatting, and other small factors that contribute positively to a site overall.

SEO types can be divided into a few general categories, which can overlap to varying degrees. “White hat” SEO involves optimization techniques that are approved by a search engine’s guidelines. “Black hat” SEO uses manipulative techniques and rule loopholes that are often ethically questionable to force higher rankings on SERPs. Search engines are becoming better and better at rewarding white hat SEO and recognizing and punishing black hat SEO, which typically works only over a very short term. Akin to black hat SEO, “negative” SEO seeks to lower competitors’ Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings, letting other website properties take the place of previously highly ranked pages.

“On-page” SEO seeks to directly optimize a website or page to improve its recognition and rankings, while “off-page” SEO uses tactics such as backlinks, social media sharing, and other indirect networking to improve another site’s rankings. “Technical” SEO is similar to optimization, except that it appeals directly to a search engine’s web crawlers. Technical SEO often involves overhauls to a site’s structure and data so that the site can be easily read by a search engine, which therefore improves its ranking.

The best SEO strategies are customized to the needs of the individual or business looking to improve their Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings. For example, a business with little to no social media presence can create authentic accounts on multiple social media sites that publish good, interesting content, boosting the business’s online visibility, which in turn leads to better search rankings. A company might issue press releases or other content itself, while an individual might have to employ other techniques (e.g., interviews, social media efforts, creating their own website) to boost their search results.

Continuous effort must be put into any SEO strategy for it to be effective, thanks to the ever-changing nature of both search engine algorithms and the internet itself. The best and most effective SEO strategies are often long term, varied, and relentless. Therefore, beware of any consultant who promises quick jumps in SEO rankings. Such consultants often use unethical techniques that work only in the short term, and the type of SEO they employ is often punished by search engines, which only makes things worse for the client in the long run. The client sees their rankings eventually plummet, and they will have fewer options for improvement in the future because they are now on the search engines’ radar.

The number of SEO keywords you should use depends on your goals and resources available. But the key is not really the number of keywords used but how they are used. Keywords should be included based on each individual piece of content on a site rather than throughout a website as a whole. Search engines associate this approach with higher-quality content and therefore consider it more valuable when ranking.

Additionally, each piece of content should be unique with differentiated keywords. Publishing the same information with only slight variations and the same keywords won’t have much of an effect on rankings. Keywords need to be highly specific to the content being created. For example, just having “SEO” as a keyword in a piece of content dooms it to drown in an ocean of other articles about SEO. Be precise with your keywords, and search for them on Google beforehand to find combinations that will not produce an overwhelming amount of competition.

Online reputations are everything. Whether we like it or not, our personal and professional lives are impacted by the internet. When you google your company or yourself, are the results reflective of what you want your clients, partners, friends, and family to see? A stellar digital presence creates opportunities. Conversely, inaccurate or defamatory information erodes trust and compromises relationships. There are 5.5 billion searches made every day. Regretfully, social media empowers anyone to say anything at any time, so it is imperative that you protect the integrity of your online reputation.

Monitoring Your Online Reputation Is Priority. We provide a proactive approach to reputation monitoring. Our experts will track what others are saying about you and your brand. Our reputation professionals will act as your eyes and ears on the internet. We work with your team to establish a first response process and escalation protocol.

Monitoring what people are saying about you and your business might seem arduous or even impossible. We have proven experience monitoring the web, including newswires, social media, and review platforms. Our tools provide you with custom solutions that track conversations across the relevant online channels affecting your brand. With these capabilities, we will review changes to your online reputation, communicate status progress, and adjust your reputation strategy accordingly.

Today, your opportunity set increasingly depends on your digital presence. A strong online reputation is critical for marketing and growth. An agile public relations strategy that includes positive online content and glowing public reviews creates a natural defense against defamatory content posted in the future. An effective online reputation management (ORM) strategy protects your personal identity and company brand from having negative information appear on search results. A memorable first impression creates opportunities and a lasting perception.

Producing accurate, strong, and positive content builds a resilient digital reputation. Optimizing your content will help mitigate reputational damage from negative attacks. If unfavorable content appears in the future and harms your reputation, strong digital assets will help reinforce the positive perception of your brand. Blue Ocean Global Technology’s knowledgeable ORM team will build a positive reputation for your business for all who search for your business online—clients, future employees, or prospective partners.

As ORM services leaders, we ensure that your brand reputation is accurately represented and protected online. We develop a sustainable plan that employs proven methods to safeguard your brand’s reputation. Your digital profile on the internet is our priority.

We design, develop, engineer, and maintain customized websites featuring a responsive design for businesses across industry and geography. Clients engage with us directly, and we partner to serve digital-marketing and public-relations service providers. When we design a new website, we adhere to our proven development process. Final website productions are custom-tailored to your business and your goals, and help increase brand engagement.

Consumers value interacting with businesses and service providers with a positive online reputation and website experience. Professional security, content and technical maintenance will ensure that you receive the best value and impact from your website.

We all know the formula, and it sounds so simple: If you want your business to succeed, it must rank highly on Google Search. But for some, this goal can prove to be easier said than done, if not entirely unattainable.

Google Search is a mountain that is difficult to climb. Google My Business is a path up that mountain that Google has specifically tailored to help businesses with local viewpoints reach local customers. And it just might be the perfect tool for you.

If the past few years in business have shown us anything, it is that a crisis can come from almost anywhere and, more dangerously, can be created out of almost nothing. The speed at which information travels on the Internet means that the veracity of a crisis is almost immaterial. As life under COVID-19 has made absolutely clear for businesses, a controversy can be based on an actual problem or can simply be the result of a mistake or misunderstanding. In some cases, the issue may be a complete fiction, made up out of whole cloth. But in this moment, the public is looking for companies to do right by their employees and customers. And opinion-makers on the Internet are often hungry for controversy. Often mercurial, when they decide something about a person or a company, they often do so unpredictably, driven by emotion rather than factual circumstances. And these decisions are made so quickly that companies have almost no hope of addressing them in a timely manner.

A narrative amplified on the Internet, legitimate or not, can quickly become set in stone. Businesses are operating in an incredibly risky time, when a hard-won reputation can be lost overnight, and a bad or, even worse, slow response to a crisis can mean things get out of hand very quickly.

In 2020, companies have stumbled into crises of their own making, in particular, the multitude of firms that reacted poorly to the complications triggered by the coronavirus epidemic.