The reputation of an entity, whether it be a company, a brand, an organization, or an individual, reflects its behavior and communication. It essentially represents all the perceptions—positive, negative, or neutral—that one may have about it. A favorable image generally tends to reinforce a good reputation, while the reverse is also true. According to Philippe Boistel, reputation offers a lasting competitive advantage by conveying information about the entity, highlighting its resources as signals of credibility. This competitive advantage manifests itself at all levels of the entity. Cultivating a strong identity, conducive to a solid reputation and a positive image, proves to be an effective strategy for generating favorable attitudes toward the organization, with a global impact.

The concept of e-reputation emerged in the early 2000s to specifically refer to the online reputation of a company or brand on the internet and other digital platforms. Often, online reputation is simply the online extension of traditional reputation, but there can be discrepancies. Managing online reputation presents unique challenges, particularly due to the sheer volume of information that is difficult for the entity in question to control (lack of monitoring tools, dedicated staff, financial resources, etc.). The speed of online communication and the difficulty of reacting effectively are also factors to consider. Furthermore, online comments and reviews can remain accessible indefinitely, even after the topic in question is no longer relevant. The rise of social media has greatly complicated the management of a company’s or brand’s online image, and by extension, its online reputation. The terms “online identity,” “digital identity,” or “digital reputation” are also used to refer to this concept.