Taking PR Hits on Social Media

There are so many different "fronts" these days when it comes to anyone's, or any businesses, reputation, that it makes sense to have an army looking out for you. This article in The Atlantic concisely rehashes the Nestle debacle from last spring. Although they quickly distanced themselves from the criticized palm oil distributor, the company's initial reaction and its responses on Facebook to its critics, caused some serious PR problems.

There are plenty of smart things to do when it comes to your Net presence, but the article takes five significant ones, and simplifies them. (To read the extended versions, catch it at: http://bit.ly/aPf3WL)

#1: DON'T get defensive. Duh!

#2: Always watch social networks for complaints (quick reaction can mean an upswing, instead of a downswing)

#3: Don't stalk your customers (they may get tired of you, or sue you)

#4: Watch how your employees use social media (are they using your sinks to take baths?)

#5: Be careful of who you're targeting (cohesive groups could create a cohesive backlash)

Social media allows everyone to be everywhere, if they want to be. This is good for companies, and this is bad for companies. They can be found. They can be blogged about. They can go viral. But, they can also be responsive, and effectively serve the customers they want to serve. Knowing what your reputation is, or your company's reputation is, online, can only serve you better.