Online Reputation Management For Dummies

Qualifying Your Representatives

Always remember: Even after you’ve successfully implemented your own online reputation management strategy, occasions may still arise when you need to hire a social-media monitoring service. When this happens, make sure you thoroughly communicate your strategy to that service so that it’ll know what you expect of it.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s not. Many companies find that handing their businesses over to a social media consultancy results in . . . nothing much at all. Instead of implementing their strategies, these services will simply “babysit” their brands.

Give your fans and your own organization the best representation by carefully qualifying your representatives. You can’t expect them to give you what you want until you’re sure they know what you want.

These days, social media “experts” are popping up like flowers after a rainstorm, but the vast majority of these so-called experts don’t have the experience needed to develop a deep understanding of the tools, and they really won’t know the best ways to spread your brand’s message, achieve your goals, or (gulp) manage a crisis. This goes for large agencies as well as small, surprisingly enough. Many PR agencies are getting on the social media bandwagon without getting fully qualified first.

Don’t gamble with your online reputation management by letting somebody with an impressive-sounding sales pitch get behind the wheel of that gorgeous, sleek Ferrari that is your brand-in-the-making ...