Reputation Management through Social Media

Ryan Faria - September 18, 2009

Have you ever had a bad experience at a store?  Did you tell a friend or friends about that experience?  What if all these experiences could be used to help businesses improve their image and the way they interact with customers?

Social media platforms such as Twitter allow users to unite and express their joys and frustrations with certain products or services.  This mass sharing of information among Tweeters (those who post updates to Twitter) can at times be overwhelming for advertisers to keep up with.   However, managing and maintaining your presence within social media outlets is now becoming a crucial part of every marketing strategy.

People who post negative comments simply want to share their experience.  These customers want to vent their frustration and disappointment directly at the source. So the question remains; how do you respond to negative comments within social media? 

Sharyn Lauby of Mashable, the Social Media Guide says “No matter how proactive you are, customers will start to question your organization when they see problems. And, whenever there is an information-void, those customers will tend to fill in the gaps with their own thoughts on what the cause may be. That’s why it is important to respond to issues quickly, even if the message is just, “we’re looking into it.” 

While responding with ‘We’re looking into it’ may temporarily pacify an upset customer; it is suggested that the communication be courteous, understanding and apologetic.  Social media is a powerful tool that can easily be used to a company’s advantage.  The worst possible thing any business can do, is to ignore problems, especially when technology moves as fast as it does.