October 2014
It’s becoming more common for organizations to develop online personalities. The Internet is replete with strategies for creating a digital presence and responding to negative criticism. In light of the impact a web presence has on our colleagues and clients, I offer my spin on the topic.
First Order of Business
Once you’ve decided it’s time for your organization to migrate to social media, the first order of business is creating an online personality. Keep these helpful tips in mind:
Don’t:
- Be flip about serious situations.
- Use your organization’s accounts as if they were your own.
- Confuse your accounts on separate social media sites.
Do:
- Create a voice for your business. It may seem difficult or a bit awkward to think of your business as separate from yourself, but that’s how you should treat it. If you want an online presence for your business, develop a voice for it. It should be distinct from your own, and it can focus on your products and services instead of your friends or family.
- Keep organized. Different sites call for different styles. For instance, Twitter users develop their voice primarily through a series of short statements, while Facebook makes it easy to maintain pictures and videos. Verify which account you’re posting to, and adjust your style accordingly.
- Know you don’t have to participate in everything. Not every site offers something your business needs. Stretching yourself too thin can limit the quality of the content you post.
Handling a Negative Review
After establishing a web presence for your business, you may confront online criticism of your products or services. Some of it may even feel like an attack. But it is important to remember, when your business is handling a negative review, composure is key.
Don’t:
- Negatively react to publicly-posted material. It is easy to lose your cool when a patron derides your product, but you can do more to damage your business’ reputation than a patron ever could.
Do:
- Open up for dialogue. Redirect negativity to a private forum. Respond to a disgruntled client, customer, or patron via an e-mail or personal message on the site hosting the original post. The individual may appreciate that he/she is receiving personalized attention, and it demonstrates that you care about their opinion of your work.
- Try to create a relationship. Work to understand what he/she disliked about your products or services and if possible, plan to fix it.
- Make amends. If you can fix the source of the complaint, invite the complainer(s) to return to your establishment and give it a fresh look.
- Recognize that not all people can be reasoned with.
Social media can be a strong tool for many organizations, and heeding simple tips like these can help many employers maintain a positive online presence.