Reputation can make or break a company. Take Comcast, which has a reputation of very poor customer service, or United, with multiple negative events making headlines this year.

So, you want to manage your reputation to make sure it’s on the up and isn’t losing potential customers, right?

• Create an Online Presence: Yes, that means making a profile on all those relevant web properties: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, maybe even an Instagram account.

• Own Your Search Engine Results Page: Showing up as the top three results is not enough. It’s pretty good, to be sure, but ideally you want your brand to be positively and clearly linked on the first page of an online search.

• Use Social Media: by “use” I mean “be active on.” If possible, claim your brand’s name on all relevant social media platforms. You want to be active and positive with social media posts, but grabbing your brand’s name helps keep others from taking it and having it associated with other, possibly negative things. Plus, social media increases your online presence, and almost everyone uses it.

• Start a Blog: Buy a domain with your brand’s name in it and create a neat, professional blog to share information about your company, products, trends in the industry, and other subjects. Another reason? Blogs get more internet traffic than static websites.

• Don’t Be Afraid to Apologize: Own up to any mistakes your company might make. Be real and transparent, too; openness and honesty go a long way to building a good company reputation. A genuine apology can diffuse a situation or lead a crisis towards a close. Make apologies clear and specific, not vague “We’re sorry this made you feel bad” apologies. Making amends never hurt, either.