By Farukh Rashid

Farukh Rashid graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in philosophy. He currently works as an online reputation management expert at Reputation.com in the role of manager of advanced client solutions. Outside of work, Farukh Rashid supports the RahimaFoundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding those in need.

The online reputation management (ORM) industry has grown exponentially in the past few years as the result of two primary factors. When consumers want information about a product, they usually conduct a Google search or visit another comparable search engine to gather information. As a result, companies and individuals now understand how vital it is to control the top results yielded by an online search.

Second, very few laws exist to control speech on the Internet, especially when it comes to something like an Amazon.com product review. An irate reviewer can say anything without venturing into the grounds of libel. A qualified ORM specialist understands the industry and the needs of clients and excels at countering negative search results.