If you’re leading in any capacity – at work, in ministry, on social media, or even in your own home – people are watching. That might sound a little uncomfortable, but it’s true. Your team is watching. Your clients are watching. Your family, your children (if you have any), are watching. The people who hear your name or see your business card are likely to type your name into Google out of curiosity. And what will they find? That could shape how they see your character, your integrity, and your faith. In today’s world, your reputation isn’t just whispered about behind closed doors. It’s what is found when your name is typed into a search bar. Your online reputation speaks – what’s it saying about you? Make sure your online profile matches who you are now, in person, and that your younger (maybe more immature self) isn’t sabotaging you.
Your Online Reputation Speaks – What’s It Saying About You?
Your Name, Just One Click Away
It used to be that a good reputation was spread by word of mouth. Someone would recommend you, and others would take their word for it. These days? It’s word of search. When someone hears your name, they Google it. And what they find sets the tone.
According to one survey, 70% of employers check job candidates on social media. And if you’re in a leadership position, that number goes even higher.
One business owner put it like this: “Before I hired anyone for my executive team, I Googled them. If anything sketchy popped up—bad reviews, questionable posts—I passed. I wasn’t about to risk it.”
Like it or not, your online presence is now part of your resume, whether you list it or not. Your digital footprint is more important now than ever before.
What Folks Usually Find About You Online
A simple search can bring up a whole lot. Maybe your LinkedIn profile, some news coverage, or articles you’ve written in the past. All good stuff. But sometimes, it also pulls up old social posts, negative reviews, or a comment you made in 2012 that you wish you could take back.
Here’s what usually shows up first:
- LinkedIn and other social media profiles
- Articles or news mentions
- Company or ministry websites
- Review sites like Trustpilot or Glassdoor
- YouTube videos or recorded talks
- Blog posts or forums
Even if 90% of it is positive, one sour review or angry comment can plant doubt in someone’s mind. And let’s be honest, most people don’t read past the headline.
Your Faith Should Show Through More Than Words
If your faith plays a role in how you lead, like it does in mine, it should show in how you treat people, how you handle pressure, and how you respond when things don’t go your way.
One of my favorite people and local leaders in real estate, Kathy Renaud, has a company byline that says, “Honesty, Integrity, and Service. Not just a motto, a lifestyle,” and she has spent a lifetime building her reputation. Her faith and integrity permeate work and lifestyle. It shows up in everything she does. It’s why she is consistently recognized as a Five Star award-winning Real Estate Agent in the St. Louis area every year since 2006. The consistency in her character is what makes her a great leader in her personal and professional life, and is what has landed her in yet another copy of Fortune Magazine.
Another CEO has said, “I don’t lead by quoting scripture in every meeting. But I do lead with humility. When I make a mistake, I own it. When things go well, I don’t take all the credit.”
That’s the kind of faith that speaks louder than any bio line. It’s quiet confidence rooted in Christ, not performance. And when folks see that consistency between who you say you are and how you live? That builds real trust.
What Can Hurt Your Online Reputation
You don’t have to do something scandalous to hurt your reputation. Sometimes it’s the small things like snapping back in a comment thread, ignoring a negative review, or forgetting to clean up old posts that no longer reflect who you are.
Common slip-ups include:
- Arguing online
- Ignoring reviews or feedback
- Leaving up posts that don’t align with your current values
- Posting out of emotion without thinking it through
- Having no presence at all
Here’s the hard truth: silence can speak just as loudly. If people can’t find anything about you online, they might start filling in the blanks.
How to Clean Up (and Show Up) Well Online
People grow and change, and sometimes the person we once were is not who we are anymore, but that old self still exists online because our digital footprint doesn’t grow with us. While the “internet is forever,” it is possible to clean up your reputation if you’ve learned, changed, grown, or if the old you no longer serves the new you well. Cleaning up your online reputation if you’ve tarnished it isn’t about pretending to be someone you’re not. It’s about making sure the real you—the faithful, growing, honest you—is what people see. It’s also important to understand that while you may remove something in one space, there may still exist screenshots or archives in another. So always be willing to take ownership and responsibility for your past actions and be able to demonstrate what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown.
Google Yourself Like You Don’t Know You
Open an incognito window and search your name in a few different ways. Add your middle initial, your business name, or your city. Look at the first couple pages of results. What do you see? What would someone else think if this was their first impression?
Review and Remove What Doesn’t Serve You Well
Go through your social media and delete anything outdated, off-brand, or just plain not you anymore. Got some snarky tweets from a rough season? It’s okay to let them go. If you find fake reviews or online attacks, report them. Demonstrating growth from negative reviews is important, but removing negative Trustpilot reviews that are fake or abusive is also important. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, there are services out there that can help with reputation management.
Respond Like a Leader
If something negative is sticking around, don’t panic. You don’t have to pretend it didn’t happen. Respond with humility. Say what you learned. Share how you’ve grown. People respect honesty more than perfection. Business owners have often said that thoughtful replies to harsh reviews won them more respect than if the review had never been written.
Create Good Content That Reflects the Real You
You don’t need to be on every platform or shout your story from the rooftops. But it helps to have a place online where people can learn about you. You want people to know your heart, your work, your values. This could be a simple website, a short video introducing yourself, or a few articles about what matters most to you. If faith is your foundation, let it show in your actions and your tone.
Keep Checking In
Set a reminder every few months to check your online presence. Make updates. Take down what no longer fits. Share something new that shows who you are becoming. The internet moves fast. Staying ahead means being intentional, not flashy.
Be Real, Be You, Because Your Story Is Worth Telling Well
Leading others means living in the public eye, even when you didn’t ask for it. That’s especially true for those of us who lead with faith. People are watching. Not to catch you messing up, but to see if your walk matches your talk.
And when they look you up online, they’re not just checking credentials. They’re checking character.
So no, you don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be present. Be clear. Be honest. Let your light shine. And I don’t mean through slogans or filters, but through a life that points to Someone greater.
In the end, your reputation isn’t just about how others see you. It’s about how you reflect the One you follow. And for me, my prayer is always, “Let them see you, Lord.”
Also, word to parents – this is one of the reasons I very rarely use my minor kiddos names online. It creates their digital footprint before they are even aware of what a digital footprint is. Future employers will look at that.
