Fall 2009 vol.9 no.

“Issues Affecting Reputation Management and Strategic Communications”

Managing Your Reputation Through Search Engine Optimization

M
ore and more people are going online for the more prominently it will be displayed in the search
information; approximately 5 billion people results and, therefore the more likely to be visited by
worldwide use the Internet daily. Consumers, users. People using a search engine like Google or Bing
journalists and investors are all searching for content on typically only click on the first few links on the first page
the Web. Smart marketers are aware of the shift from of results. SEO can increase visibility for a product or
pushing information out to external audiences to company, making it a great tool for advancing an
end-users selecting and pulling content, and have been organization’s reputation.
quick to take advantage of the opportunity to increase
their company’s visibility by incorporating search engine However, negative or damaging information can spread
optimization into their Web site, marketing and public using the same principles of optimization. In the online
relations mix. world, word-of-mouth happens via link-building. For
example, someone publishes a negative comment about
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a method of your company. Others read it and start linking to it in
increasing awareness of and driving traffic to a Web site blogs and discussion groups. These postings are forwarded
and its content by increasing the Web site’s ranking on to more people and the next thing you know, the
among search engines. The higher a Web site’s ranking, negative information is at the top of search engine results.
SEO – C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

T H E WO R L D O F S O C I A L M E D I A A N D R E P U TAT I O N

T
he more digital the world of communications becomes, the that the parties talk about only what they wish to talk about and on their
more valuable the content. The fact that we can access news and own schedule and terms. If you are not interested, you do not participate.
information on a constant basis does not change the basic rules If you do not agree with what is being discussed, you start another
of news – the information must be interesting to the reader, timely and conversation or group of like-minded people and spawn yet another outlet
accurate. At a recent communications conference led by social media based upon common interest. So, social media is both social and
guru Paul Gillin, he alluded to a Washington D.C.-based online news anti-social at the same time. Also, with search engine optimization, the
service that raced to get content out to constantly beat the competing more attention your conversation is paid, the greater prominence (which
conventional newspapers and wire services. That competitiveness suggests validity and credibility) of your point of view.
is customary for the media as they strive for exclusivity and
to be first with the story. The kicker here was that this There are dangers here, but also great freedom. The partic-
media outlet was happy to go with a standard of 85 ipant is the governor and arbiter of opinion. I’m not sure
percent accuracy in their reporting. The idea was that
Social media is less where this leaves the person who goes against the grain,
readers would “self-correct” the inaccuracies in about breaking news and a person such as a Gandhi or a Mandela whose views
much the same way Wikipedia does. To me, this is a more about dialogues or might not have made it to the top of the search engine
dangerous melding of facts and fiction. parade. But then again, their powerful words and
online conversations thoughts may have caught on faster and spread even
Perhaps this dilemma has always existed, but the between and among further with the digital tools we have today.
moment to moment urgency of digital media seems
to call for speed to trump accuracy and let the market- interested parties. This issue of the Mount Vernon Report is devoted to the
place decide the truth. Media ethics, in some respects, has world of social media and reputation. We touch upon the
been a slippery slope as the business of news has always been brave new world of the big four – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
in conflict with the nobility of reporting the truth. Bias has always and LinkedIn. I suspect that even this list will morph into the big
existed in news media as owners and publishers exert their influence or two or three, and then split up again to birth more venues for spreading
editorial policies over purportedly objective editors and reporters. information. But no matter the channel, content remains king. Tweet on.

In the digital and social media world we live in today, it appears that the
will of the masses overrules the sometimes brave and singular voice of
the individual. Or is that even true? Social media is less about breaking President and CEO
Morrissey & Company
news and more about dialogues or online conversations between and
among interested parties. The old rule was that the media did not tell you I invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts and ideas about safeguarding
what to think, but what to think about. The message of social media is an organization's reputation. Please join me on my Reputation Excellence blog –
http://blog.morrisseyco.com.
 Ethical Guidelines – Truthful, Kind and Necessary
ETHICS AND POLICIES IN SOCIAL MEDIA
S
ocial media has changed the rules of marketing and public relations.
Through forums like Facebook and Twitter, consumers yield more power
than ever before; according to a survey by the Opinion Research
Corporation, 84 percent of Americans say online reviews influence their
purchasing decisions.1
Part of the value and allure of public relations is the impartial third party;
consumers may give more credence to a journalist’s opinion over an
advertisement because that journalist is theoretically unbiased. Social media is
a lot like traditional public relations; it involves relinquishing control and
making yourself vulnerable, while providing the opportunity for (even better
than third-party endorsement) end-user endorsement.
As with the advent of the Internet and e-mail, organizations are nervous about
controlling employees’ use of social media – ensuring these mediums are not a
distraction, and controlling the content (and the organization’s reputation).
E S TA B L I S H I N G PA R A M E T E R S
In the 90s, organizations began policing and restricting use of the Internet and
e-mail by limiting sites employees could access and even monitoring e-mail
content. While policies like these are sometimes necessary, most organizations
have come to trust employees’ judgment. And, it seems most people behave
responsibly (we haven’t seen the workforce disintegrate due to the potential
distraction posed by the Internet and e-mail).
1
The New York Times, “Managing an Online Reputation,” Kermit Pattison, July 30, 2009
SEO – C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1
Now that great tool for managing your reputation has become a
detriment. What to do? Here are a few tips:
M O N I T O R To be prepared to mitigate the damage, a company must
first be aware of the discussion about its brand and products. There are
a number of tools available to help you listen to the online
conversation about your company such as Google Alerts, which sends
e-mails when your company appears in the news or on blogs. MBuzz
specifically monitors social media and provides daily reports and analyt-
ics. Another method is to have your SEO team analyze what sites,
forums, etc. bring the most traffic to your Web site and then monitor
them.
B U I L D L I N K S Link-building should be a major part of any SEO
strategy. Think of it like networking. The more people in your network,
the more exposure and recognition you receive. The same is true for
connecting your Web site with other content on the Internet. And, like
networking, the same rules of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”
apply. Bad news rises to the top of the search engine results because
many people shared links to the content – you can do the same with
good news. Specifically, build links outside your corporate domain,
including news sites, corporate blogs and other pages outside your Web
site. Make it a practice to ensure that the content on these sites is
constantly updated and fresh.
pg.
2
Recently, organizations have begun instituting policies relating to employee
blogging, and use of networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.
These run the gamut from extensive legalese to simply: “Be professional.”
While it’s important to communicate with employees about these mediums,
ultimately, organizations should trust their teams. Employees can be an
organization’s greatest asset; if you believe in the quality of your organization’s
work and treat your employees with respect, you shouldn’t need an extensive
social media policy.
A proposed policy: Everything you say should be truthful, kind and necessary.
This rule applies in any situation, and social media is no exception. Other
helpful guidelines to share with your team:
• Always take the high road.
If your organization is the subject of a negative Tweet, for example,
advise employees to step back and calm down before responding.
Never get into an argument or debate; always take the high road and
naysayers will often change their tune.
• Be responsive (timeliness is important, too).
This demonstrates your organization’s commitment to its audiences,
and will only positively impact your organization’s reputation.
Responsiveness will also help fuel more positive discussion, increasing
your visibility on social networks.
ETHICAL GUIDELINES – C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3
E X A M I N E K E Y W O R D S Another SEO strategy is keyword
selection and density. In the case of negative press, you want to create
more good than bad by optimizing around select key words. Since
negative press is likely showing up when consumers search under your
company name, you will want to focus your SEO efforts on those
specific keywords with the goal of driving positive hits up, while
pushing the negative ones down. How do you determine the best
keywords to use? There are many elements that go into keyword
selection and there are several services that provide data on what search
terms are being used and how often. Some of them charge to provide this
information and others, like Google Keywords, offer the information for
free. They have several basic and advanced options to help select relevant
keywords.
In this age of instant publishing via the Internet, information – both
good and bad – travels at lightning speed. News is updated so frequently
that people only pay attention to what is at the top of the page, hence
the need to manage your reputation online using the valuable
tool of SEO. This is just a peek at the world of SEO.
~ Lauren DiGeronimo

Netiquette Tips
The basic guideline for online
communication is common sense.
But with new applications and explosive
growth, a refresher never hurts.
Below are the top seven rules.
1. You can’t un-ring a bell. Once you’ve
put something on the Web, it’s there for
eternity.
2. Understand the limits of your
control. Anyone can take your image or
posting and repurpose it.
3. The Internet does not operate in a
vacuum. Most people can figure out
how to get around basic security blocks.
If you wouldn’t want your boss or
grandma seeing it, don’t post it.
4. Spell-check. Online communication
feels quick and informal, but the basic
rules of English still apply to everything
from e-mail to Facebook to blogs. Twitter
and texting get a pass because of length
constraints.
5. Understand the core purpose of
each tool and network. Party pictures
don’t belong on LinkedIn, posting your
resume on MySpace is odd.
6. Act with purpose. It’s educational
to test out various programs and
applications to better understand them
and determine their usefulness. Not
every platform is right for every user and
situation. Find what works best for you.
7. Be truthful.
~ April Wildermuth
ETHICAL GUIDELINES – C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2
• Postings are permanent.
Once you post something, you can no longer control it and you can’t take it back.
Venting during a moment of frustration may not be worth it when you can’t face a
fellow employee the next day or feel embarrassed in front of your boss.
• Social media is subject to the same limitations – release of financial
information, client confidentiality, etc. – as other communications.
Employees should be aware of this and understand that the same consequences apply.
MORE THAN A HOBBY
Anyone can blog, tweet or network online, and the lines between work and hobby are often blurred.
For example, software engineers are big bloggers because they’re passionate about technology, in
and out of the office. A blogger develops a following who believes that person is interesting and
trustworthy. Sooner or later, followers figure out the blogger works for company X and wonder if
that blogger’s views are independent or company-sponsored.
While that’s a good example of why it may be useful to have a general social media policy in place
(because even if they’re not blogging on your behalf, employees can still be linked to your
organization), some organizations are going beyond that and hiring individuals for the specific
purpose of supporting social media through “tweeting” or posting on Facebook.
If you believe in the quality of your
organization’s work and treat your
employees with respect, you shouldn’t
need an extensive social media policy.
When is this necessary and appropriate? If you answer “yes” to multiple questions below,
you may want to consider creating a role like this or dedicating some existing resources.
• Is social media an important avenue for your customers and audiences? Does your
organization appear often in social media conversations?
• Are you trying to grow your business?
• Does your staff lack the capacity to address comments made about your organization
in the blogosphere, on Twitter and on other social networking sites?
Guidelines to keep in mind regarding social media support within your company:
• Individuals should support the company, not necessarily promote the company.
• It must be crystal clear that individuals are representing the company.
• Specific guidelines should be developed for these roles, aligned with the organization’s
goals for social media.
• Social media interactions are not a substitute for customer service; they should refer
people to customer service representatives, if necessary. These interactions are not
tracked by CRM software, so organizations can’t measure responsiveness through
social media (yet).
Keep in mind that the goal of social media is to participate in the debate as a peer, and everything
you say should be truthful, kind and necessary. And, as Peter Morrissey says, “If that sounds like
something a nun would say, that’s because it is.”
~ Megan Page
pg.
3
Morrissey & Company
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The Mount Vernon Report™ is published and copyrighted 2009 by Morrissey & Company, an independent Reputation Communications firm headquartered at 6 Edgerly Place, Boston, MA 02116. Permission to copy and distribute is granted, provided that
full attribution is given to Morrissey & Company. Further commentary or response to any of the topics discussed in this issue is welcome and should be directed to 617-523-4141 or via e-mail to peter@morrisseyco.com.
Printed on recycled paper. In an effort to conserve natural resources we have altered the format of the Mount Vernon Report to omit the use of an envelope.
Reputation Advisor
I
n an online environment where everyone is a critic, maintaining a
positive reputation can be challenging. Negative reviews can become
detrimental to one’s reputation; but positive reviews, are traditionally
the best source of new business. Online forums and communities such as
Yelp, Citysearch and Yahoo! Local can be powerful word-of-mouth tools.
Managing your online reputation requires a whole new skill set,
including monitoring online conversations, engaging with customers and
promoting your good name on mediums that are constantly updated and
changing. Here are some considerations for businesses interested in
preserving and protecting a positive online reputation:
Monitor the online conversation. The first step is to tune
in and see what is being said about your business on the
Internet. Setting up Google and/or Twitter alerts to notify you
when your business is mentioned in a review or blog is helpful
in learning what people’s first reactions are, how searchable the
business is and where you are being discussed. Some of the
latest technologies include Trackur, Google Alerts, Technorati,
and RapLeaf. Knowing this information is also useful when
determining your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
Create policies. Companies need policies for how employees
spread information online and how to respond to online com-
ments. Business owners must develop guidelines and adopt tech-
nologies that can help manage their online reputation and clearly
communicate these guidelines company-wide. It is very important
that companies have a response mechanism in place in order to
avoid unethical or harmful communication. For example, JetBlue began to
monitor and use social media as a way to reach out to customers directly in
the aftermath of its highly publicized February 2007 flight delays. Today,
they use Twitter to communicate with passengers about weather delays and
field questions about why JetBlue charges $7 for pillows and blankets.
Engage with customers. Responding to reviews – both formal and
informal – is a delicate part of customer relations. Business owners are
advised to respond to reviews in a timely manner to show readers that
they are listening and they care about their customers. A negative review
requires special attention, so it is best to allow yourself some time to
pg.
4
think before engaging the reviewer in a considerate manner. The most
important thing is not to argue with the customer. Remember the golden
rule of customer service: the customer is always right. Recently, some
companies, such as UPS, have recruited people to search for complaints
on Twitter and offer help as well as act as customer service intermediaries.
Thomas@UPS posts public responses on Twitter to apologize and try to
win back customers, while some business owners choose to privately
message the reviewer.
Protect your good name. Take advantage of these platforms; they can
do more for your business than just protect your online
reputation. Platforms such as Twitter and Yelp can also serve as
tools for marketing, analytics and communications. Online
reviews are a gold mine of business intelligence. Analyze metrics
to get a better sense of your customer demographics. For
example, Yelp has a dashboard that allows business owners to
keep track of page views.
Do not write false reviews. Don’t write false reviews to puff
your business or trash a competitor. You can severely damage
your reputation (and look really silly). Businesses have been pub-
licly exposed for falsifications and suffer major
embarrassment. For example, Lifestyle Lift, a cosmetic surgery
company, had ordered employees to pretend they were satisfied
customers and write glowing reviews of its face-lift procedure
on Web sites. The company also created its own sites of face-lift
reviews to appear as independent sources. As punishment, the
company had to pay $300,000 in penalties and costs to the state
and agree to stop publishing anonymous reviews on Web sites as well as
identify any content created by employees. The best way to ensure and
translate positive reviews online is to offer good products and service, be
honest, be attentive.
Remember, the Internet has become a complex ecosystem in which pub-
lic opinions can help or hinder a business’ online reputation. It is crucial
for business owners to know how to monitor, manage and measure
online reputation and to remediate problems faster when they occur.
~ Liza Stewart