There’s an old song by The Police called “Truth Hits Everybody” that would make an apt theme song for brands and their experiences with social media.  All sorts of truths will hit a brand when it starts exploring and participating in the social media conversation.  Some truths will be pleasant ones, like receiving praise from brand loyalists who pat a brand on the back for services provided.  Other truths, however, might be the equivalent of a hard punch to the stomach, criticisms that knock the wind out of a brand and leave it gasping for breath.  A brand ready for hard truths, however, will be more capable of rolling with these punches and more able to make its social media experience a fruitful one.

Social media is by nature an open forum.  Brands need to keep that in mind and be ready for a candid discussion when they dive in.  The conversation cannot be limited if a brand wants to be considered sincere in its social media efforts.  Some brands have learned the hard way that dealing with negative feedback by no longer allowing it to be part of its social media dialogue only leads to more bad buzz, but just away from where the brand could have addressed it directly.  While brands can’t control the conversation, they can react and respond to it.  Just making this type of effort can help a brand’s reputation, even if the source of the criticism is still not assuaged.

While some criticism will come from users whose extreme dislike for a brand will limit the potential for a rational exchange of opinions, the majority of criticism will come from consumers who have had some type of problem with the brand, be it quality of product or customer service received.  If specific consumer criticisms begin to appear with enough frequency to be considered an actual trend, a brand needs to understand how to process and address this feedback.  This type of consumer input is a valuable component of the social media payoff a brand can receive.  By listening and responding to critiques of itself and its performance, a brand can take steps to provide solutions to consumer complaints.  By displaying this level of interest in and valuation of consumer opinions, a brand can generate positive buzz. Then the same consumers who once had complaints about a brand can become its advocates, spreading the good word about the brand and its efforts.

To capitalize on the exposure and consumer information that engaging in the social media conversation can provide, a brand must be ready for candid and frank user appraisals.  Brands must develop thick skins and open minds as well as a willingness to take the steps needed to try and remedy customer criticisms or they will miss the chance to take advantage of all the benefits a successful venture into the social media realm can provide.

Silence may be golden but not for brands when it comes to their online image. Social media has opened a wellspring of conversation enabling users to criticize and commend virtually anything.. A savvy brand cannot do the equivalent of sticking its fingers in its ears and ignore what is being about it in the social media arena.

Controlling brand image requires constant involvement in the online chatter. But there are some rules of the road to keep in mind before you set off down the information highway.

The message is everything, so make sure everything is on message
Getting your brand into the conversation is not something that should be done on the spur of the moment. Remember, whatever message your brand puts online can stay out there for a long time and be passed around from user to user. Take the time to carefully plan out how your brand’s messaging will sound and react to the input it receives, good or bad. Also make sure the message is being aimed at the right audience and in the right venues. Some social media sites and blogs will be more receptive to your brand and its message than others. Some research beforehand can make sure your brand’s message falls on interested ears and not deaf ones.

Be a good listener; be a better responder
Your brand will encounter a wide range of responses when it sets up its social media presence. You’ll meet a lot of happy customers but you’re also bound to encounter users who are dissatisfied or worse with your brand. There’s no way everyone will like your brand. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to they have to say. Sometimes a simple acknowledgement of a user’s complaint helps improve their view of your brand. Listen to what users are saying, take what you hear, and use that to provide responses that can have a positive impact on your brand image.

Adopt, adapt, and improve
Once your brand hits the blogosphere with its message, there will be a reaction by users to what you are saying. Respond to that response and adjust what your message to address the buzz that’s being generated. Doing so properly will keep your brand on a course to positive vibes and not one that points it toward potential brand disaster. Remember that you brand is now a part of a conversation. A good conversationalist should be able to tell when they’ve misspoken or put their foot in their mouth. The key is being able to correct your mistake and steer your message and your brand in the right direction.

Don’t just do it. Keep doing it.
Social media isn’t a quick fix for brand image control. Once you start, prepare to be committed for the long haul. The conversation is ongoing. If you join it, be ready to stay. Abandoned blogs without recent postings make your brand appear uncommitted and disinterested. Sincerity is also a must as your deliver your brand message. Be straightforward with your intended audience and your brand will be the better for it.

Keeping your brand’s image as pristine as possible via social media can be challenging and even overwhelming without the experience needed to understand the nuances and nature of this new means of reaching the public. Luckily, your brand can have access to the experience it needs for its social media brand campaign by working with LeapFrog Interactive. We have an experienced team that will work with your brand to help you understand the social media marketplace and successfully navigate its twists and turns. With LeapFrog Interactive as your partner, you won’t lose control of your brand’s reputation as it flies into the turbulent skies of social media.