Fall 2010
Six Free Ways Even Small Companies Can Prepare For Online Crisis
by Richard Levick
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Customer Care News
M
ark Twain famously said, “A lie can make it half way around the world while the truth is put-
ting on its shoes.” In the Digital Age, what was
once hyperbole is now an extreme understatement. Companies
that survive online attacks unprepared — such as Domino’s,
United Airlines and Motrin — do so only because they have strong reputations that were built over time. Other companies
— usually smaller in size or involved in business-to-business sales — lack the “trust bank” of public support necessary to
survive an online crisis. These victims, such as Westland Meat
Packing Company and Eagle Warranty Company, don’t have strong brands to fall back on — and thus, fall off the map entirely.
Businesses of all sizes and specializations must regularly
monitor the conversations regarding their brands and proactively leverage online best practices to ensure they are prepared
for crisis. Fortunately, the tools and tactics that build brand equity and bulletproof brands are often free — and by utilizing
these online tools, companies can take greater control of their reputation now, before a reputational crisis strikes.
These six steps outline free measures every company can
take to protect its reputation and bulletproof its brands. 1. Establish Google Alerts
The first step in any online reputation protection effort is
to set up an effective system to monitor social and digital media
2. Prepare a Crisis Response Plan
To paraphrase the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, every
for mentions of your brand. Start by establishing Google Alerts
crisis communications battle is won or lost before it is
time. This not only serves as a crisis early warning system, it
comprehensive online crisis communications plan, what you
to monitor what people are saying about your company in real also allows you to identify conversation threads and trends
and begin to develop messaging attuned to key audiences.
In order to comprehensively monitor the online space and track all related conversations, however, you also need to follow the high-authority bloggers and social media users who cover your industry; they can help provide advance
warning when a competitor or shared industry practice comes under attack. Finally — and particularly if there are hundreds
of daily mentions of your brand online — consider
they can help streamline the process of filtering complex online conversations.
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do in the eye of the storm might not make much difference at
all. A successful plan should incorporate both traditional
and digital responses and also include strategies that can be
deployed on a moment’s notice. For instance, your crisis plan should identify the team members who are best equipped
to manage diverse situational needs. Whether this means preparing to utilize Google AdWords to spread your
messaging, respond directly to critics both online and off, or
launch new landing pages where concerned parties can turn for more information (to name just a few items to prepare), it is
Fall 2010
paid monitoring options such as Techrigy or Radian6, as
ever fought. If you don’t use peacetime wisely to develop a
imperative that you have a plan in place before any reputational crisis strikes.
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3. Implement an Employee Social Media Policy
engagement. Policies can range from detailed guidelines on how
ees to get involved in social media, they are bound to do so
and spread positive messaging to simple regulations for keeping
Regardless of whether your company encourages employ-
No matter the length or specifics of your social media policy, however, the most important result is that your employees understand the power and consequences
in their personal time. Unfortunately, even when
engaging social media on their own, employees can inadvertently cause severe
ter the length or specifics of your social media policy, however,
the most important result is that your employees understand the power and consequences of social media participation. 4. Flood the Web with Positive Content
of American companies
reputational crisis is bound to dominate search results for your
Thus, a straightforward step in protecting your online reputa-
the crisis, particularly considering the role search engines play
in 2009, eight percent
reported brand damage due to employees’ social media activity.
Fall 2010
professional and personal lives separate on social media. No mat-
brand damage. In fact,
of social media participation.
tion is the development and implementation of an employee social media policy that outlines the Dos and Don’ts of online
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employees can use social media to help promote the company
If your company has limited involvement on the Web, any
company. Needless to say, such a situation only compounds in modern reputation management. In order to prepare your
company for such a situation, flood the Web with positive con-
Customer Care News
meaning that if you can generate a base of fans, followers or supporters, these social media profiles are also likely to crowd
reputational attacks out of the top search results for your company. Some social media platforms, such as Facebook, present
an ideal opportunity to create a forum for your supporters and customers to populate content — meaning all you have to do is
create the venue and monitor for anything objectionable. Other sites, such as Twitter, require only 140-character updates — meaning you can send
out multiple Tweets
each week to help
build brand equity and bulletproof your
brand with a relatively
small time commit-
Businesses of all sizes and specializations must regularly monitor the conversations regarding their brands and proactively leverage online best practices to ensure they are prepared for crisis.
ment. But no matter where you choose to get involved, be sure
to make it a conversation with your key audience. Social media
is not another corporate megaphone; instead, it is an opportunity to truly connect with and cultivate brand ambassadors in the online space.
6. Address Criticism and Complaints Whenever Possible
Internet users today place more focus than ever before on
peer reviews and online forums in making purchasing decisions. This means that it is even more important than ever to
keep track of these comments and respond when appropriate. Consider following the example of Comcast’s Twitter presence,
where the company responds in real time to customer com-
plaints. While some particularly vitriolic complaints may not warrant a response, by regularly monitoring the most prominent and relevant online forums — including social media — and tent surrounding your brand now, before it’s too late. In order to maximize your brand bulletproofing efforts, content should
also be optimized for search engines. Start by using tools such
joining the conversation, you can help nip any potential crises in the bud and insert corrective messaging before others pick up on false rumors. CCN
as Google Keyword Tool and WordTracker to identify the top
Richard Levick, Esq., President & CEO of Levick Strategic
oping a step-by-step guide for your Web writers that outlines
highest-stakes global crises and litigation. His firm has directed
keywords on which to focus your content. Also consider develhow to best write for search engines. If you are able to build up a storehouse of positive, optimized content, you will create
a much higher threshold for reputational attacks to overcome when it comes to influencing public perceptions. 5. Engage the Social Media Space
social media. Social media platforms are highly authoritative,
www.customercarenews.com
the media strategies on Guantanamo Bay; the Catholic Church; the Wall Street crisis; the major
recalls; and the largest environmental, regulatory, corruption, and
merger matters in the world. Levick
Strategic Communications, LLC is
based in Washington, D.C. and can
Fall 2010
As you build out a storehouse of positive online content
about your brand, there is no better place to do so than on
Communications, LLC, represents countries and companies in the
be reached at 202-973-1300 or at www.levick.com.
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