Reputation Monitoring & Management When Blogs and Forums Attack! Presented by Andy Beal

What are you doing this year, Andy? Third time’s a charm! Offering consulting services –Business Coaching for agencies –Search Optimization Advice –Reputation Management –Business Blogging –Social Media Marketing Blog Editor

I’m Watching You! Using RSS to track your reputation Using news and web alerts Tracking the un-trackable Managing forum posts Laying forum foundation Tactics for negative blog posts Tactics for negative forum posts Balancing negative CGM

Blog Tracking Tips Create custom RSS/XML feeds based on keyword searches –Feedster.com –Technorati.com –IceRocket.com –Google.com/blogsearch –Blogpulse.com RSS Aggregators/Readers include: –Newsgator.com –Bloglines.com –Google Reader

How it looks…

What to track with RSS? Track everything related to your company –Variations of company and product names –Names of your key employees Names used by your competition –Include all variations –Competitor’s key executives –All product or service names Monitor industry-related web feeds – – –

How it looks…

Prefer Old School? RSS XML Web Feed Aggregator

News and web alerts Use Google and Yahoo alerts – – –Track all industry and competitor keywords –Track news, web, blogs and groups Watch for competition’s press releases Look for plagiarized content

How it looks…

Tracking the Un-Trackable How do you track news and content that doesn’t have RSS or alerts? Copernic offers such a tool –copernic.com/en/products/tracker –Others include aignes.com; watchthatpage.com What can you track? –Watch for specific keywords on pages –Monitor web site changes for text changes or new images –View updated pages with changes highlighted –Receive update alerts by , on your desktop, and even on your cell phone

How it looks…

Where to use it Every page of your competitor’s web site Any web content that may include your company or your competition –Better Business Bureau –Alexa.com reviews –Forums/message boards –RipOffReport.com Any industry news site that doesn’t have alerts or RSS

Laying Forum Foundation Identify the most popular forums for your industry – – Task someone to join and participate –When trouble strikes, impact will be reduced if you are a regular contributor Consider sponsoring most influential forums –Less likely to see sustained criticism if forum owner is collecting money from you Build alliances/partnerships with most vocal members

Responding to Criticism Monitor your RSS feeds and alerts hourly –Early action is crucial Identify the author of the blog, owner of the forum, editor of the site –Use to look-up info –Read the profile of the author Who are they? Who do they work for? Read author’s previous work – understand their persona Understand the threat level –How respected are they? What is their audience reach? –

How it looks…

Tactics for blogs If factually incorrect… –Send evidence –Ask for removal or retraction –Offer to keep them informed of future news - Google used this on me –Only if no action by blog author, add comments If true, but negative –Send your side of the story –Explain how you are addressing the situation –Add comment to post –Indicate your willingness to receive any questions – take it offline

Will it Accomplish Anything? 94% of bloggers will remove, edit or add correct information to any incorrect blog post Best way to contact them? –65% want you to them –28% suggest commenting –Only 2.5% don’t want to hear from you Source: Technorati Blogger Survey 2005

Tactics for Forums Investigate facts internally before deciding action –Could this be an anonymous competitor spreading rumor? Have a senior employee offer to resolve any complaints personally– take discussion offline Take the high ground –Suggest there are both sides to the story, but you are not willing to disclose confidential info Be honest! –Explain what you have done to rectify any issue –Try to suck life out of the conversation Rally friends, clients, peers –Don’t create new supporting members – you’ll be caught out –Do utilize any allies in the forums

Balancing Negative CGM If it’s true… –Don’t ignore or hide –Participate in discussion and be honest –Add response to your web site –Issue statement addressing what has been done –Engage crisis communication expert If it’s not true… –Politely request blog, forum, news-site owner remove or retract –Consult a lawyer –Contact other blog and forum owners with correct information Prevent the spread Ask them to consider publishing your response –Add statement to your website – optimize to achieve search ranking

Get the Free Guide… Google – “online reputation monitoring” –

Thanks! Andy Beal Tel: Read the blog: MarketingPilgrim.com