Reputation audit: step-by-step checklist
Score eight areas from 0 to 3, find the weak spots and turn them into three to five actions.
- Checked
- Two to three hours
- Free scoring sheet
A reputation audit is a structured check of everything the public can see about your business: search results, reviews, Reddit and forums, social media, news and AI assistant answers. You score eight areas from 0 to 3, add them up and turn the weakest areas into a short action list. Repeat it every quarter.
Before the reputation audit: 10 minutes of prep
Prep makes this quarter’s score comparable with the next one.
Private window
Signed out, so your history does not skew results.
Your customers’ location
Search as someone in your town or main market.
Fixed search terms
Your name plus “reviews”, “complaints”, “scam”, “refund”.
An evidence folder
Dated screenshots and a link for every score.
The eight reputation audit steps
Score each step from 0 (harmful or false content dominates) to 3 (accurate, mostly positive, complaints answered).
Search results, page 1
Yours, positive, neutral or negative? Nothing false should rank.
Complaint searches and autocomplete
Note negative suggestions and what ranks for them.
Google Business Profile
Rating, newest review, share replied to, correct hours.
Review sites and employer reviews
Rating, recency, repeated complaints. Claim your profiles.
Reddit and forums
Last 12 months. One ranking thread can outweigh fifty reviews.
Social media and YouTube
Your name, not just your handle, plus video comments.
News and press
Do old facts or a past incident still rank?
AI assistant answers
Ask two assistants about you. Note wrong facts and sources.
Download the reputation audit scoring sheet
One row per step, with columns for the score, notes and an evidence link. It opens in any spreadsheet app.
Download the reputation audit scoring sheet (CSV)
Reading your reputation audit score
Add the eight scores for a total out of 24. It is a self-assessment, not an industry standard: compare it with your own last quarter.
0–8
Serious problems
Fix the top issue this week; check daily.
9–15
Several weak spots
Work through the action list this month.
16–20
Healthy, with gaps
Fix the lowest step; keep the weekly routine.
21–24
Strong
Keep monitoring; re-audit next quarter.
A single 0 still needs urgent work, whatever the total.
From reputation audit to action list
Three to five actions you finish beat twenty you do not.
Take every 0 or 1
One specific action each, like “reply to six Google reviews”.
Fix causes first
Slow refunds in five reviews? Change the process first.
Correct facts at the source
Your site, profile and listings first.
Reply where it still helps
Old but visible complaints deserve a calm reply.
Book the next audit
Three months out. Track monthly in between.
Reply with the complaint templates, track monthly with the reputation report template and keep the weekly routine from the online reputation monitoring guide. Keywords to watch between audits: choosing brand monitoring keywords.
FAQ
How long does a reputation audit take?
Two to three hours for a small business with one location. The first audit takes longest, because you are also finding where people talk about you.
How often should I run a reputation audit?
Once a quarter for most businesses. Add one after a big change, such as a rebrand, a new location or a complaint that spread.
Can I audit a person rather than a business?
Yes. Use the same steps with the person’s name, and swap the review steps for professional profiles and mentions in their industry.
Do I need a tool for a reputation audit?
No. The audit is manual by design, so you see what a customer sees. Tools help between audits by collecting new mentions.