FinTech Marketing

It takes less than a village to wear you down on the Internet

There was a time when crisis communications only kicked in because of something:  1) an employee did, 2) management did or 3) the occurrence of some negative event that impacted the organization. 

Traditionally, organizations managed the crisis and communicated with targeted publics through traditional media outlets or through direct communication channels originating from the organization itself, such as a letter or e-mail to investors, customers, employees, etc.

The evolution of the Internet and social networks has changed the game entirely.

Today, disgruntled individuals on a mission and with a limited degree of Web savvy can relatively easily create a long-lasting, negative buzz about your organization online.  Consider for a moment how a single entry on a consumer advocacy web site can have a seemingly permanent presence on your Google search results. 

As an example, let’s look at one of the most popular consumer advocacy sites online, the Ripoff Report®.

Ripoff Report is one of the most accessed web destinations (top 100 in U.S.) and, as a result, consistently ranks highly in search results about companies.  According to its website, “Ripoff Report is a worldwide consumer reporting web site and publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file and document complaints about companies or individuals.” 

While the site’s mission is a noble one and there is true benefit to be had by consumers in accessing its information, the reality is that, due to the nature of the site itself, the opportunity for malicious or erroneous content to be posted exists.   While sites like these generally do a good job of self-policing posted content, the challenge for today’s communicators is that the site cannot guarantee that all reports are authentic or accurate.  So you may find a negative report or blog entry that has the potential to adversely impact the organization’s reputation. 

Consider:

1) The scope of risk and response

2) Who should respond?

3) What is the response?

4) Should other audiences be informed or company web site updated?

If you have had an online crisis or irritant, what did you learn or how would you respond differently?  We’d love to hear your story.

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