What is Reputation? Definition and Examples

Your reputation is the opinion that other people have about you – what they think of you, how they perceive you. A person can have a reputation, as can a company, organization, government, and even a country.

If you have a good reputation, it means that people think good things about you. Perhaps they think you are trustworthy, honest, hardworking, generous, kind, reliable, and a solid citizen.

How much respect a person or thing receives is part of their reputation, which builds up over time based on past behavior or character.

Reputation and Business

In the business world, a good reputation can help boost sales and ultimately profits.

Let’s image that two companies make tennis rackets that are identical in quality and price. However, Company A has a much better reputation that Company B. Company A will probably sell more rackets than B because of its reputation. Consumers trust and respect Company A more, so they are more likely to buy its products.

A business’ reputation in the marketplace is extremely important.

Brand Image

Companies across the world spend hundreds of billions of dollars annually on their brand image. Brand image is the perception that consumers have of a specific brand, product or company. Brand image is a type of commercial reputation.

Some companies have a brand value, i.e., a type of reputation value, that is worth many billions of dollars. The brand values of Apple and Google are worth $241 billion and $207 billion, respectively.

Reputation – Workers

We have already established that a good reputation helps sales and profits. Did you know that it is also a strong magnet for good workers?

Top professionals and skilled workers seek out companies where they can grow and build up their own reputations.

Businesses with the best reputations attract top workers.

A Scandal

In daily life, politics, sports, entertainment, and business, it usually takes a long time to build up a good reputation.

Unfortunately, it can be destroyed much more quickly.

An embarrassing scandal can destroy a major corporation’s reputation within a couple of days – and in some cases, within hours!

Online Presence

Since the advent of the Internet, companies have focused increasingly on their online presence.

Most consumers today check out products, companies, and make comparisons online before deciding whether to buy something.

Blogging is an excellent way to enhance your reputation online. Sharing content with readers boosts your perceived authority within your industry.

It is crucial to make sure that your blog is optimized for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is all about getting your company or product in or near the first page of search results in Google, Yahoo, and other search engines.

A Never-Ending Quest

Working to maximize the reputation of your brand is a never ending ordeal. If you become the most reputable company in your business, great – but don’t stop. You rivals will be working hard to take your place.

Learn as much as you can about brand management and make sure you put aside money for it in your annual budget.

If you remember to deliver on your promises, provide consistent top quality, and have the best customer service in your industry, your reputation will continue to grow.

Compound phrases with ‘Reputation’

With the word ‘Reputation,’ we can make dozens of compound phrases. Here are ten of them:

• Reputation Management

The practice of influencing and controlling an individual’s or brand’s reputation.

• Reputation Risk

The potential loss resulting from damages to a firm’s reputation, affecting its revenue or brand value.

• Online Reputation

The perception of someone or something based on internet search results, social media presence, and overall digital footprint.

• Corporate Reputation

The collective assessments of a corporation’s actions and its ability to deliver improving business results to multiple stakeholders.

• Reputation Capital

The value of the goodwill that a company has built up over time with customers, employees, and stakeholders.

• Reputation Building

The process of creating a favorable public image for a person, company, or organization.

• Personal Reputation

The perception held about an individual based on their actions, achievements, and failures.

• Reputation Damage

Harm to a person’s or company’s standing in the opinion of others.

• Reputation Metrics

Tools and measures used to assess the public’s perception of a business or individual.

• Reputation Recovery

The strategic actions taken to repair a damaged reputation and restore stakeholder trust.

• Reputation Restoration

Efforts to improve the public image of a person or company after damage has been done to their reputation.

• Reputation Risk Management

The process of identifying, controlling, and mitigating potential threats to an individual’s or organization’s reputation.

Other languages

Below you can see the word ‘Reputation’ translated into various languages:

• Spanish: Reputación
• Hindi: प्रतिष्ठा (Pratishtha)
• French: Réputation
• Arabic: سمعة (Sama’a)
• Bengali: খ্যাতি (Khyāti)
• Russian: Репутация (Reputatsiya)
• Portuguese: Reputação
• Indonesian: Reputasi
• Urdu: شہرت (Shohrat)
• German: Ruf
• Japanese: 評判 (Hyōban)
• Swahili: Sifa
• Marathi: प्रतिष्ठा (Pratiṣṭhā)
• Telugu: ప్రతిష్ఠ (Pratiṣṭha)
• Turkish: İtibar
• Korean: 평판 (Pyeongpan)
• Tamil: புகழ் (Pukaḻ)
• Vietnamese: Uy tín
• Italian: Reputazione
• Gujarati: પ્રતિષ્ઠા (Pratishthā)
• Farsi: شهرت (Shohrat)
• Bhojpuri: प्रतिष्ठा (Pratishtha)
• Hakka: 名聲 (Mìng-sàng)
• Mandarin Chinese: 名声 (Míngshēng)
• Cantonese Chinese: 名聲 (Ming4 sing1)
• Jin Chinese: 名气 (Míngqì)
• Southern Min: 名聲 (Bêng-siâⁿ)
• Kannada: ಖ್ಯಾತಿ (Khyāti)

Video – What is Reputation?

This video, from our sister channel on YouTube – Marketing Business Network, explains what ‘Reputation’ is using simple and easy-to-understand language and examples.