15 key figures: the online reputation of executives

Most business executives underestimate the stakes of online reputation and the consequences of a poorly managed reputation on their company. Here’s the proof in 15 key figures!

Business executives underestimate their online reputation

• 90% of executives at global companies say that social media are important today or will become more so within a year(1).

• 87% of internet users believe that an executive’s reputation affects the reputation of their company(2).

• 83% of companies will face a crisis that will have a negative impact on their share price of between 20% and 30% over the next five years(3).

• 58% of executives at the 500 largest global companies (Fortune 500) consider managing their reputation to be important, but only 15% take action to keep it under control(4).

Business executives do not have the trust of internet users

• 92% of people trust the information they find online(5) more than the information provided by companies.

• 90% of consumers trust the recommendations of other internet users(6).

• 78% of consumers trust the recommendations of their peers(7) while 14% still trust advertising.

• 75% of people do not believe that companies tell the truth(2) in advertising.

• 73% of consumers(8) say that positive reviews give them confidence in the company and its executive.

• 61% of people rely more on user reviews than on the information provided by the company before making a purchase decision(9).

Internet users influence the online reputation of business executives through the internet and social media

• 44% like to use the internet(10) to influence the behavior of companies and their executives.

• 34% of people use social media(11) to share their feelings about the company, its executive, and its products and services.

• 26% use social media(12) to express their dissatisfaction.

• 23% use social media(12) to express their satisfaction.

Internet users shape the online reputation of executives

• 48% of adult internet users (7) believe that it is easier to do business with new people about whom you can learn everything online.

All these figures demonstrate the increasingly significant weight of internet users on the image and online reputation of executives. Ignoring what internet users have to say is equivalent to failing to manage a large part of your image. More than ever, business executives must use the online reputation dashboard to measure their online reputation (the results of their Google page via an online reputation score), to improve their first Google page by controlling and optimizing their communication (their content), and finally to protect themselves, in particular from the growing number of crises.

Sources:

(1) Deloitte University Press, 2013.

(2) Hill & Knowlton study, 2001.

(3) Oxford-Metrica, Reputation Review, 2012.

(4) Deloitte study, 2009.

(5) Wall Street Journal, January 2009.

(6) Forrester Research. Online Community Best Practice. 2008.

(7) Pew Statistics Report, 2010.

(8) Credoc, 2005.

(9) Razorfish, 2008.

(10) TNS Sofres, 2013.

(11) Yankelovich, 2009.

(12) Harris Poll, 2010.