Thursday, August 19, 2010

Wild West 2.0 by Michael Fertik & David Thompson - Book review




Wild West 2.0

How to Protect and Restore Your Online Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier


By: Michael Fertik, David Thompson

Published: June 2010
Format: Hardcover, 272pp
ISBN-13: 9780814415092
ISBN-10: 0814415091
Publisher: AMACOM










"The Internet today resembles the Old West of American History. Like the Old West, the Internet is rich with opportunity and hope, but it is still also a rough-and-tumble place with many hidden dangers", write reputation experts at ReputationDefender, Michael Fertik and David Thompson, in their eye opening and groundbreaking book Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Online Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier. The authors describe how the openness of the internet, with so much information about individuals and organizations readily available, that many dangers to reputation lurk in many dark corners of the world wide web.



Michael Fertik (photo left) and David Thompson recognize the critical importance of maintaining a solid reputation, whether a business, a non-profit organization, a celebrity, or even an average person. Most people are familiar with rules and social norms for establishing and keeping a good reputation in the bricks and mortar world. Unfortunately, according to the authors, those rules are not applicable in the ungoverned online world. Anyone, hiding anonymously behind their keyboard, can with a few keystrokes launch bitter and often unfounded attacks on any person or organization, at any moment. Because these bogus claims are available on search engines including Google, Yahoo, or Bing, they are very likely to be treated as fact. The end result of this unwarranted destruction of reputation can be a loss of business or of an associate.



David Thompson (photo left) and Michael Fertik understand that the repercussions of online attacks can become global and accepted as factual in a shockingly short period of time. The authors don't want anyone or any company to take this reputation assault lying down. The book contains valuable techniques to protect your hard earned reputation and how to restore it in the event of an attack. The authors describe the type of person who engages in online reputation damage, and what motivates them to do so. The book also points out the various types and degrees of internet attack. With this information in mind, the book shows people how to prevent attacks by claiming and building a strong and positive online presence. Should an attack still occur, the authors describe how to measure the reputation damage done in an assault. When the results are assessed, the book includes various powerful techniques to lower the damage level and restore the reputation to good standing.

For me, the power of the book is how Michael Fertik and David Thompson provide a realistic and practical approach to developing, protecting, and even restoring a positive image and reputation. The book is filled with real world examples of lost reputations, and how the damage took place. The authors also share the methods employed to restore the good name of the individuals and the organizations. David Thompson and Michael Fertik take the time to warn their readers of dangers that appear harmless on the surface, but contain hidden dangers below the seemingly calm exterior. The authors present important profiles of the type or cowardly person who initiates online attacks, and why they do it. At the same time, readers find their attention brought to websites that broadcast personal information indiscriminately to the online world. The book contains, as well, a strategic offense plan for building a positive reputation that can withstand any unwanted and undeserved attacks.

I highly recommend the important and timely book Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Online Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier by Michael Fertik and David Thompson, to anyone who is serious about building and protecting their personal and organizational reputation in an unregulated online world. The information provided in this brilliant book can spell the difference between a lost reputation, and a positive image of which anyone can be proud, whether online or offline.

Read the essential and seminal book on online reputation management Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Online Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier by David Thompson and Michael Fertik, and have your own sheriffs ride with you as you navigate through the Wild West of the online world. The internet holds many dangers, and with this book and its crucial advice, you can ride safely across the internet plains.

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