How to improve your digital reputation after a cyber-attack?

A brand's online reputation can be the biggest casualty of a cyberattack, as evidenced by the high-profile resignations of corporate executives and the crash in stock prices following a breach. data security.

With cyber attacks on the rise amid the global pandemic and this new era of hybrid working, how can companies prepare for the worst and safeguard their brand reputation?

NUMERACTIVE has prepared advice for you on how to proceed and the importance of having a plan in place before an attack occurs.

What happens after a cyber attack?

For some time, all businesses have considered the threat of IT failure as one of their top risks, but fears over broader cyber issues, such as data breach and online fraud, have skyrocketed over the past 12 to 18 months.

With the interaction between consumers and businesses now largely taking place online, strong cyber security has become an essential part of building trust with your customer base. But what happens when that trust is broken?

It's no surprise, then, that cyberattacks can be extremely detrimental to a business in a number of ways, one particularly (and potentially fatal) one being damage to the reputation of a brand.

In a recent study conducted in conjunction with Cyber Security Awareness Month (October every year), companies looked at the effects of cyber attacks on business reputation and consumer trust were examined. One of the most telling findings from the study is that consumers blame the business (46 %) almost as much as the hacker (54 %) when an attack occurs. Thereby, blame and reputational damage usually falls on the shoulders of the company… and not on those of bad actors.

E-reputation above all!

Did you know that 25 TP2T of a company's market value comes directly from its reputation? As you have understood, the reputation of the brand remains its spearhead, but what about e-reputation (online reputation)? What is the real impact of a damaged e-reputation and negative content appearing online?

Well, it can lead to loss of customers. Customers who feel a crisis has not been adequately handled will likely turn to a competitor. How so ?

Customers may choose to voice their opinion on social media, which will only further damage your online presence. It is essential to take a proactive approach to dealing with a crisis on the net. Because through the power of social media, bad news has the potential to reach a global audience in minutes.

In short, in an age where a negative post can go viral and a video can reach millions of people within hours, online reputation management comes to the fore.

How to restore your e-reputation after a cyber-attack?

Our experience has taught us that companies are not fully prepared to deal with the potential damage of a cyber-attack on the organization's e-reputation. That's why we created a cyber-reaction procedure:

1- Assess the situation:

Long before you think about starting to repair, it is essential to know what and who you are dealing with. S Initially, it is a matter of regaining control of the pirated domains. If you can't do it, you absolutely have to negotiate with the pirates. Like any negotiation game where we are in a weak position, this requires several techniques in order to get out of it with the least possible damage… it's far from easy!

Secondly, you must therefore carefully examine the aspects that have been affected and assess the severity of the damage. To do this, you need to analyze the situation from an outside perspective.

With more and more customers using online review sites and social media as platforms for complaints, praise and inquiries, it is nearly impossible to record and monitor them manually. This is where tools and alerts come in. Small businesses can usually get away with using free tools to find out what mentions or reviews have been submitted about their brand, whether a company or an individual. Here are some free tools to try to monitor your online reputation: Google Alerts, Rankur, Free Review Monitoring.

2- Take control:

You can use your assessment to uncover damage to your reputation and determine what you can and cannot control. For example, you can't control what people say or think about you, but you can manage your own actions, which will allow you to focus your efforts on proactive measures.

You are therefore led to develop an action plan that includes a series of tactics aimed at restoring your reputation and putting you back in control. Indeed, dealing with a post-cyberattack situation requires a well-thought-out plan. Depending on the severity of it, you can either take care of it yourself or hire a consultant or a communication agency.

If you plan to do it yourself, you need to invest in quality content that has been optimized for search. Why ? When you have strong, quality content on your website, blog, and social media, your content will dominate the top results of search results pages. This way you get the best form of control possible, leaving any negative information in the dust of your good content.

Ultimately, being ahead of the situation will help you, and that means it will have less time to go “viral”. 

3- Contain the situation:

Now is the time to start repairing the damage and restoring your online reputation by acknowledging your wrongdoing and making amends. Admitting your mistake and apologizing will go a long way to repairing your online reputation. To do this, it is essential to contact the media and in particular the press in order to communicate an apology via a press release.

In addition, you can use Google ads which will allow you to define and control your own story. Thus, you create a positive perception in the eyes of your audience, which is important to strengthen your e-reputation.

Additionally, you should also use your action plan to plan your next steps to start repairing your online reputation. A well-thought-out strategy will repair and transform your online reputation. It will also serve to protect you against future risks.

If you find that your current content is not helping to nullify negative mentions, assess your reputation as it is. See your search results, social media accounts, and review sites. Investigate negative results and develop a content plan to address and overcome these mentions.

Hard work and proactive management of your online reputation will allow you to maintain a good e-reputation. 

Prevention is better than cure !

It's a good idea to publish content before you have a problem on your hands. By being proactive and prepared in case you are attacked, you will go a long way to protecting your online reputation. Here are some content ideas:

– Produce white papers, blog posts and case studies that reflect your expertise.

– Post video testimonials on YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

– Create a neutral and accurate Wiki entry.

Are you ready to risk your e-reputation because of a cyber-attack? Let's protect that reputation today…together.