Shannon Wilkinson is a nationally recognized expert in online reputation management and an expert witness in legal cases.
Her New York City-based firm Reputation Communications advises clients on all aspects of reputation management.
She has advised the following types of clients:
- Attorneys and law firms
- Artists
- Forbes 400 philanthropists
- Fortune 500 leaders
- Executives planning IPOs
- Federal agents and law enforcement professionals
- Investment, FinTech & financial services firms
- MBA candidates and recent college graduates
- Silicon Valley tech founders
- Venture capitalists
As a former commentator for The Wall Street Journal, her views about how leading corporations managed their crisis focused on Equifax, Ohio State University, Purdue Pharma, Sanofi, UBER and Whisper, among many others.
Reputation Communications
She is founder and CEO of Reputation Communications, a New York City agency that helps executives, professionals and their organizations build, expand, amplify, and protect their online reputation.
Reputation Communications was one of the first companies to specialize in online reputation management, after evolving beyond its original role as a public relations consultancy. It is the only online reputation management firm to specialize in the needs of influencers: individuals with newsworthy or industry-wide impact in business, politics or social issues, including clients in the Forbes 400 and Fortune 500 lists.
The seed for Reputation Communications was planted in 2008 when one of Shannon Wilkinson’s PR clients recommended her to a hedge fund with internet reputation issues. At that time online reputation management was in its infancy.
She brought to the assignment years of online promotion experience and experience in getting clients’ most current, substantive information to appear prominently on search engines such as Google. After three months, Wilkinson’s results had colleagues recommending her to other firms.
During the next two years, she began receiving more calls for assistance. When a multinational public company awarded her a year-long contract following the successful resolution of an online issue, she recognized the growing need for such services.
Soon after, the company was utilized by one of the world’s preeminent investment firms. The firm has since served a range of clients, including high net worth, high visibility innovators, leaders and rising stars.
Visit Reputation Communications.
You(Online): The Magazine
You(Online), Reputation Communications’ online reputation management resource, attracts international readers monthly.
The Essentials: Online Reputation Management FAQs, is its most popular feature.
Visit You(Online)
Author
Ms. Wilkinson is the author of How to Look Better Online: Online Reputation Management for CEOs, Rising Stars, VIPs and Their Organizations, a 50-page guide that shares insights about the Internet and social media cultures and the distinct ways they impact high-profile individuals.
This informational guide is now available on Amazon Kindle.
It is also available as a free eBook.
Blogs from Reputation Communications
Lessons About Digital Discretion from Jeffrey Epstein’s Emails
Shannon M. Wilkinson
29 April 2026, 4:14 pm
Much of the coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein files has focused on who knew what, and when. But buried inside thousands of pages of correspondence is a quieter lesson — one that applies not just to the powerful and the infamous, but to anyone who sends a text or email without thinking twice. Epstein’s own … Continue reading Lessons About Digital Discretion from Jeffrey Epstein’s Emails
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What Jeffrey Epstein’s Online Reputation Campaign Reveals About the Dark Side of ORM
Shannon M. Wilkinson
18 March 2026, 3:22 pm
The newly released Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein contain something that should concern every executive, communications professional, and anyone who relies on their established name to do business: a detailed, years-long record of a reputation management campaign built entirely on deception. And ultimately, it failed. According to a New York Times review of thousands … Continue reading What Jeffrey Epstein’s Online Reputation Campaign Reveals About the Dark Side of ORM
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Why I Wrote “Reputation Reboot” for the AI Era
Shannon M. Wilkinson
23 February 2026, 8:19 pm
Today, when someone wants to know who you are, they may not Google you at all. They may ask ChatGPT. Or Perplexity. Or Microsoft Copilot. And whatever those AI platforms surface about you—accurate or not—becomes their first and sometimes only impression of you. That is why I have spent the past months substantially rewriting and … Continue reading Why I Wrote “Reputation Reboot” for the AI Era
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Expert Defamation Witness Shannon Wilkinson on Social Media Risk
Shannon M. Wilkinson
23 January 2026, 9:18 pm
I’m proud to have been featured as an expert in Interfor International’s recent blog post on social media risk management. In today’s digital landscape, the intersection of online behavior and reputation has never been more critical. The Hidden Dangers of Social Media As I shared with Interfor International, the risks associated with social media are … Continue reading Expert Defamation Witness Shannon Wilkinson on Social Media Risk
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