4. Manage criticism and negative buzz
If your brand is receiving a lot of negative buzz in online forums, then you have much larger marketing problems, says IdaRose Sylvester, a Silicon Valley management consultant and former IDC analyst. And odds are those problems need to be solved at the top-line brand management level, following a comprehensive analysis of brand image.
"If your brand is receiving negative, but true, criticism, it is a perfect opportunity to reengage the customer base and truly address the issues in a public forum, turning a disaster into a success story," Sylvester says.
Roell notes that it's impossible for a brand to eliminate or delete negative buzz within online forums. However, he adds, if companies adequately monitor what's being said about their brands -- good and bad -- they can take advantage of the opportunity to turn critical consumers into brand fans.
"Responding to criticism with something as simple as, 'Thank you for your comments, your concerns have been brought to our attention' goes a long way with consumers because it shows you care," Roell says.
While it can be beneficial to have brand representatives respond to conversations happening on review sites, they must not be defensive. They should focus on conveying positive messages, while assuring reviewers that the brand considers their feedback very important.
But brands should never seek to completely eliminate negative buzz, says Melani Gordon, founder of digital marketing agency gWave Consulting. After all, Gordon says, critical reviews demonstrate the "true human factor" of a brand and enable consumers to weigh the opinions on both sides.
"It's important for consumers/clients to see a clear view from both sides and generate their own opinion," Gordon says.
In addressing criticism, it's imperative that brands do so factually, says Prasad Tagat, founder and chairman of India-based Turnaround Marketing Communications Pvt. Ltd. Even if criticism is untrue, be courteous. "Always respond in a polite way and try to keep the focus on the positive parts," Tagat says. "But also accept the negative parts and assure [them] that you will try to work on these."
In addition to responding to criticism, marketers should try to learn more regarding the roots of the negative feedback. In that respect, Jeff Donnelley, president of marketing and advertising agency 760 Media, recommends building your own focus groups by offering incentive-based test marketing. Brands can use online software like SurveyMonkey.com or ConstantContact.com to find out more about where negative buzz originated and how they can combat it better in the future.
"This can also be perceived as a sign of good will, if conducted properly," Donnelley says.
Another newer tool for monitoring and combating negative online buzz is called StepRep, notes Brandon Fishman, president of interactive marketing agency Internet Marketing Inc. An online reputation management tool, StepRep is designed not only to monitor your results but also to enable you to combat criticism from one central location. StepRep also monitors social platforms like Twitter and Facebook for negative chatter. After all, while many companies are turning to social networks to promote their products and services, this strategy opens them up to a lot of potential criticism.
"Oftentimes, by the time you become aware of negative press, the damage has already been done," Fishman says. "The longer you allow any negative press to anchor itself into a search result for your brand name, the more difficult it will be to move down the road. StepRep allows 100 percent real-time monitoring so you can quickly react and respond to any negative buzz associating your business."
