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.