Online reputation management has been a growing enterprise since the explosion of social media, which allows the exchange of information and stories — true and untrue — faster than ever, said online reputation management consultant Andy Beal.

“It’s impossible to entirely scrub your name or misdeeds from the digital landscape. When negative content about you begins to dominate Google, the trick becomes how to balance it with enough positive content to push the bad stuff down the list,” Beal said, the founder ofTrackur.com, which monitors clients’ online reputations.