Hurling of insults, public complaints, calls for boycotts and unabashedly posting competitor links on your platforms: these are just but the milder attacks netizens can do with your campaign, but even these activities can be very damaging. It takes only a small group of people to create a sensation of majority. The usual complaints are that your brand has failed them in customer service, sells inferior products or that your competitor is flogging better widgets. Less common are that your brand is socially irresponsible, profiteering, bullying... or perhaps the younger generation could be poking fun at your brand's inadequate social know-how. That said however, if you have a problem with your service, the first attempt should be to fix it. But what about when your mistake doesn't really warrant the type of backlash a disgruntled customer lobs at you?
Have you seen a fake Starbucks voucher? A fake Microsoft promotion? Closer to home, have you seen the fake SMRT Facebook page, fake Changi Airport Facebook Page and on the political front, a fake PM Lee Twitter account? These brand hijack attempts started life as simple satire, but behind this satire is a more sinister attempt to discredit your brand.
On a more grandiose scale, was the movie "SuperSize Me" by Morgan Spurlock. This expository movie thrust a journalistic stab at the McDonald's empire. Spurlock dramatizes the unhealthy effects of consuming fast food (specifically McDonalds) by turning himself into a lab rat. Although Mc's didn't explicitly say it, their very major, global re-branding campaign occurred very close to and right after "SuperSize Me" was released worldwide.
So what can businesses do to guard against infiltration like this? Here are a few suggestions you can use:
Build a strong community of advocates
Everyone needs friends and a brand is no different. You need a small, vocal and passionate group of "brand friends" who can help you watch the media space while assisting in defending quickly.
Build a strong brand
Nothing beats a strong reputation. If your business is known to be sincere in providing reliable service, honest work and good quality products, you don't have to lose sleep over negative publicity.
Demonstrate sincerity
With a more vocal, more discerning public, people can smell bullshit from a mile away. Never be something you're not. Never fluff things up. Good marketing will actually kill your campaign faster if you're not what you say you are.
Take things with a pinch of salt
The internet plugs into the deepest recesses of a person's mind, transmitting the most evil things that may never be uttered in real life. Chose your battles, don't lose focus and never let the attacking party set the agenda for you.
Set keyword triggers
If you are using blogs, forums and commenting systems, chances are a keyword trigger is available. Use this to earmark certain posts for moderation.
Practice -some- censorship
As a general rule, it is not good to censor. But at times, you will find that a little bit of censorship will help. Don't delete posts that express genuine complaint, but if you see a mosquito of a troublemaker, it will serve well to just click the delete button.
Hire an agency
An agency would have more manpower to react quickly to social attacks. Look for an agency with some industry knowledge, has spent time interacting with the online public and has the ability to react 24 x 7. With a skilled team, they can even turn a PR disaster into a brand building opportunity.
Create applications to limit engagement
This would be useful if you anticipate strong reaction. If you keep discussions and forums separate from other public spaces, you can do damage control faster, have the ability to move the group around and limit the distance of sharing or the number of viewership.
Meet up with the disappointed
Most times, when users go to your Facebook wall to do a public rant - it probably means that they have frustrated all avenues of trying to reach you. (My futile efforts of reaching AirAsia's help desk for example *ahem*) Meet up with them, resolve their problems and create a happy customer. This is a good chance to turn opposition into opportunity.
Get creative
We live in a modern age of digital communications, there are few rules of engagement and risk is hard to predict. Just like driving, you plan for the safest journey, however there is need react to dangerous situations when they happen. Likewise for campaign engagement.
There is much that could happen that could take your campaign awry, however, the worst thing you can do is to keep out of the game.
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