Reputation is your rank on steemit. So if you improve your reputation there is no profit or loss. But if some one saw that you had huge reputation so everyone will think he is very famous.

To improve reputation:

1. Write a quality content and get upvotes. If you get upvotes with a valuable SP it will increase your reputation.
   2.If no one upvote in your quality post use bots to improve reputation.
   3.When your post payout was given it also increases your reputation.
2. Create valuable comments to others that will helps you most.