social media today

When Social Media Goes Wrong

Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian, from the Flickr Creative Commons.

We are constantly being told that social media is the new way of the world. It’s easy to see why: Twitter has enough users to fill a small country – and Facebook has more users than the population of the United States. No wonder companies are entering the world of social media marketing so enthusiastically.

However, there is a catch: is it really working? Without an online marketing vision that is cohesive with the essence of social media, your company could be left with a stagnant Facebook page at best – and a horde of angry online consumers, at worst.

Consider the following:

Motrin Moms

Awhile back, Motrin released a controversial online video featuring moms who carry their babies all the time (for the full story, click here). Across the social media universe, infuriated moms voiced their thoughts about the video and Motrin. On Twitter, the fiasco was amplified by the use of the #MotrinMoms hashtag. Motrin’s weak response, including a lack of social media presence on Twitter and Facebook, made the public relations nightmare even worse.

Ford vs. The Ranger Station

Ford nearly committed social media suicide when its legal department threatened to sue a website selling unauthorized merchandise with Ford’s logo. The problem was, this website was a huge advocate of the Ford brand, and had a loyal, vocal following. Before Ford initiated legal action, a social media specialist helped both sides settle their differences. Had legal action been taken, it is likely the ensuing social media fallout would have damaged Ford’s reputation considerably.

What can be learned from these mishaps? Well, what you say or do online does not belong only to you – it can be propagated by anyone who cares to do so. This is why social media is such a powerful tool.

The moral of the story is to suspend your disbelief and approach social media as proactively as possible, and armed with a sound strategy.

What will you say if a customer has a bad experience with your customer service and lets it be known – all over your facebook page?
What will you do if you find a group of product evangelists has made a bunch of videos about your product, ripping off your logo, slogans other marketing assets?
How prepared are you to respond to the feedback that is happening around your brand, all over the internet?

With a sound strategy, you will be set to answer these questions before any of these situations occur – if they do occur at all.
If I can leave you with one thought in mind for handling your brand image online, it is this: respond, respond, and respond some more. By talking with the source of your publicity, you will forge a stronger alliance with your customer base online.

-Alex

Tags: internet marketing strategy, monitor social media, social media power, social media today