The 5 Reputation Metrics Worth Tracking (and 3 That Aren't)

Track these five: first-page ownership (how many top-ten results you control), sentiment ratio across those results, average review rating with trend, review velocity, and branded search volume.

First-page ownership is the king metric. Every result you control is a slot an attacker, competitor, or journalist can't occupy.

Skip vanity metrics: total mention counts without sentiment, follower tallies, and generic 'reputation scores' that don't tie to search behavior tell you very little.

Review these numbers monthly at minimum. Reputation metrics move slowly until they move fast — and the monthly habit is what lets you catch the fast moves.