Protecting and managing online reputation

Slide 1: Protecting and managing online reputation

Slide 3: Share of voice

Slide 4: Across the sectors

Slide 5: Good and bad

Slide 6: It matters Positive consumer- generated reviews can have an impact on offline behaviour, with 24% using online reviews prior to paying for a service delivered offline. [Source:comScore / Kelsey Group, Nov 2007]

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Slide 8: It’s all about Influencing the influencers Connecting with customers Managing feedback Delivering comms with a constant brand tone Developing positive dialogue and relationship with constituents Archiving positive brand comment

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Slide 10: Essential Transparency Honesty Policy and process Rapid response Flexibility Integration

Slide 11: A spotless reputation? Online is already a brand risk Rumours spread Online is more extreme place for comment Multiple agendas of online communities Community journalism influences press, TV and radio Many touch points can result in a conflict of message

Slide 12: You can’t communicate Without learning to listen

Slide 13: The tools to listen Simply watching Useful tools • Google blog search • Google trends • Ice rocket • iGoogle • Technorati • Sphinn • Blog pulse • Digg • Google news Detailed monitoring • Onalytica • Market Sentinel • Buzz Metrics

Slide 14: Draw the battle lines What do you want to influence When will you respond How will you cultivate authenticity What information is currency How will you personalise conversations When will you draft in legal Draft procedures and protocols

Slide 15: Triage Is it true? Put the criticism in context • Is it on an influential site – assess and rank site • Who is the detractor – are they influential • Are others commenting Assess the seriousness of the attack - Accept some of the views, but don’t hide and don’t overreact Is it affecting search ranking? 'Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel'

Slide 16: Lies, lies and damn lies Act quickly The truth will out - get the facts straight Humour and self depreciation can help! Be candid and declare your interest Be brief, to the point and transparent Don’t be emotional, heavy-handed, impolite or incorrect Collaborate with other credible sources Consider offline media and PPC Yes involve lawyers – but only as a safeguard

Slide 17: Choose wisely Selecting the medium to respond • Approach individual bloggers, commentators etc • Direct mail, email • Own site • Personal letter, statement, phone call

Slide 19: Coverage in online Search engine press News search engines Blog posts Blog search engines Forum debate RSS Social network buzz Social news and bookmarking RSS

Slide 20: It’s all about Influence the influencers Connect with customers Managing feedback Delivering comms with a constant brand tone Develop positive dialogue and relationship with constituents Archiving positive brand comment

Slide 21: Customer Journey Activation Metric Active engagement with influencers and online Become authorities Offer social currency to ignite conversations o Content coverage Aware and interest o Clipping volume o Blog chatter analysis Create opportunities for dialogue and Engage interaction to deepen the conversation and o Syndication analysis develop advocates o Search engine visibility and rankings o Website links Ensure wide off-website placement of informative content such as Info graphics o Web traffic analysis (web analytics) Learn Technical data and Video demonstration o Referring websites and influencer numbers Develop close (often offline) relationship with advocates to garner positive Decide recommendation from community o Sales volume Unique URLs and competition mechanics to o Sony-Style reference Purchase drive web visits. Tracking URLs from o CRM registration verification influencer to purchase Continued conversation development to o Sentiment analysis Post o Clippings volume ensure positive sentiment and sales Purchase affirmations (generating further advocates) 21

Slide 22: Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg hunt

Slide 23: Chris Bishop 1 of 4 to graduate with the UK’s first e- business degree Began in online media in 1999 as a publisher and owner of an online sports network Create & Innovate, Johnson & Johnson, TradeDoubler and currently Hotel Chocolat… “Outstanding Personal Contribution to Affiliate Marketing\" award and short-listed for “Publisher Manager of the Year” A4UExpo 2007. Support Bolton Wanderers & love Belvedere Vodka! 23

Slide 24: Hotel Chocolat 15 years old! DM background Re-brand in 2003 First store 2004 US launch 2007

Slide 25: Why online PR Tapping into the Google economy • Underpins search marketing (PPC) • Organic link building Supports affiliate marketing and partnerships Maintains a positive profile of off-website content and recommendation Amplifies marketing channels Common sense approach to delivering more sales 25

Slide 26: Creating positive chatter 26

Slide 27: Objectives Increasing Hotel Chocolat’s presence online – including search engine rankings, relevant mainstream and niche websites, and within social media conversation Driving traffic to the Hotel Chocolat website Delivering tangible return on investment

Slide 28: Activity Hotel Chocolat Easter egg reviews The Hotel Chocolat ‘Virtual Easter Egg Hunt’ and nine partner competitions The Niblingtons Easter Guide Six weeks only

Slide 29: Targeted Food & drink Women’s lifestyle Shopping, gifting, luxury buys Competitions Family Diary bloggers

Slide 30: Measuring Trackable visits Correlations to sales Analysis of conversion and time spend Not Fluffy PR at all! 30

Slide 31: Blogs and online media Nine influential blogs partnered with Hotel Chocolat to run the ‘online Easter egg hunt’ Guardian Unlimited front page Widespread pick-up in traditional media online and throughout the blogosphere.

Slide 32: Results

Slide 34: Driving out negative comment Visibility still high today (almost a year later) 34

Slide 35: Five take-aways 1. Learn to listen to online chatter 2. Understand the importance of advocacy and not just product/store information 3. Create relationships with influencers 4. Gather internal support 5. Watch for the next big think – keep up with online social media innovation 35

Slide 36: Thank you for Full ‘brands in social media’ research Email me (Katy Howell): Katy.howell@immediatefuture.co.uk