April 24, 2009
Beware the Blogger – Not!
A report on the eMarketer
website says that retailers needn’t spend so much time worrying about how
bloggers are going to discredit their brands and drive away customers.
As research points out, more bloggers than not have something positive
to say when they write about a retail company. And even when they’re going
off on a rant, their influence on shopping habits is minimal.
First off, a study by
CARMA International found that roughly 41 percent of blog coverage of national
retailers was positive compared to 28 percent negative.
Another study by BIGresearch
found that, at least when it came to clothing, only 3.3 percent of adults
were influenced in their purchasing decision based on what they read on
a blog.
Discussion Questions:
How should retailers and other marketers monitor and react (or not) to
bloggers? Should they try to use bloggers to their banner or brand’s
benefit?
BrainTrust
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Poll
In most cases I think that negative bloggers are best simply ignored. They seek attention and nothing can create more attention than getting into a dialog with the retailer or brand manager that you are writing about. It’s interesting that this topic came up today when the Wall Street Journal report on the government’s interest in bloggers touting products from which they had received payment.
I don’t think negative bloggers can be ignored completely, or simply treated as cranks. Retailers need to discern between those with a case of “sour grapes” and those with valid complaints. It’s possible that negative blogs can bring some serious field operational issues to the attention of management, such as low housekeeping standards, poor replenishment methods and slow checkout procedures. If the tone of negative blogs is consistent and credible, it’s worth making sure that these sorts of problems get corrected before “social networking” turns a brushfire into a PR disaster.
I think that ignoring the customer is always perilous. While a blogger may seek publicity and choose to attack a brand or a company–I would not off-handedly dismiss the whole of the blogging universe for the sins of a few. We have seen many examples of how companies have used any and all social media to either further their causes, trip themselves up, or respond/defend attacks–the most recent being Domino’s strong response to employees creating a video allegedly for their own amusement.
Professionally reinforcing a company’s willingness to address problems (should there be any) is always a good policy. Getting into a mud slinging contest online is no smarter than doing it in print or on a street corner–and can be a whole lot worse.
Retailers should always monitor blogs and Twitter to learn what customers are saying. Blogs and Twitter offer ideal opportunities to listen to consumers, to thank them when they have words of praise and respond to issues.
Blogs allow for a dialogue between retailer and customer. Isn’t that the basis for good customer service and for positive change?
Social media is a way of life; it is not an advertising tool. There is a strong difference between in-bound and out-bound marketing. Retailers must learn how to use in-bound marketing and benefit from it.
Peer to peer communications and influence continues to grow and grow and grow. It’s astounding what consumers will do when a network of “friends” advise. As a shopper insights professional with listening and interpretive skills, what we are hearing today is a shift like nothing I’ve experienced in my career. This time is exciting and scary for marketers, as my friend Rob says–“Buckle Up!”
As a speaker who blogs, I take exception with the idea bloggers should be ignored. Let’s face it, bloggers are looking for attention as a marketing tool. While their influence may not be huge, I don’t see how you can “ignore” it, a Facebook page or Tweets.
Any customer has the ability to sound off like never before. Case in point, a group of Marshall Field’s fans who blog who inundated my blog posting recently about Macy’s.
I’m perplexed. Why are we worried about bloggers as if they’re some sort of beast that’s strange and different–like the Loch Ness monster, or a chimpanzee who’s learned to talk?
From my perspective, a blogger is no different from the food columnist in your local paper–or someone writing a letter to the editor.
Bloggers are media.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The only difference is that, out of the millions who at the moment have no traffic at all, there’s a small chance that someone might hit a nerve with something they’ve said–and suddenly have a big audience.
If you practice good online PR–be accessible, be friendly, be HONEST–and you treat customers fairly, and a nutjob gets famous at your expense, you can look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and say you truly had no control over the situation.
And then, Google Tylenol’s response to the cyanide scare. Do everything they did and you’ll come out without a scratch.
BUT….
If you’re Best Buy a couple of years ago, and store policy in some locations appeared to be bait-and-switch (an in-store pricing policy was directly at odds with that weekend’s FSI, and the store manager chose to fight about it instead of giving the customer the accessory that in fact had been part of the manufacturer’s bundle, but that the store was trying to charge extra for, contrary to the offer in the FSI ad.) then you don’t just have to worry about current bloggers. You’re also going to CREATE new bloggers by your exemplary customer service.
And God help you.
So think of it as the universe’s new mystery-shopping program.
BTW–delight a blogger, and s/he will sing your praises to the rooftops. They don’t have the space limitations that a New York Times columnist does. And there are no laws saying they can’t get famous by loving you as well as hating you.
But basically, bloggers are media.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The bigger trend in this area is the one to watch: as there are more and more blogging “voices,” bloggers have an incentive to take a more extreme position in order to stand out from the crowd, and it’s usually extreme negative positions that get the most attention. So there may very well be more negative voices out there about a brand, not because the brand deserves it, but because it drives traffic.
I don’t know how this will play out. In the meantime, I agree that you should always listen to what customers and influencers are saying about you, and respond appropriately, where appropriate. But that’s easier said than done today, and I don’t know that it’s going to get any easier….
As usual, not a black and white issue. It’s critically important to react, without over-reacting, to blogs that enjoy traffic and credibility. In many instances, it’s even a good practice for someone from the company, who is professedly skilled and trained, to respond in a conversational tone, and with full identity.
On the other hand, to over-react in a dramatic, defensive, or non professional manner, will backfire and make a negative situation worse.
Also, be discreet about which blogs you concern yourself with. There are some cases where only the blogger is reading his or her own blog.
We (bloggers) are customers. Blogging is a new “voice.” It is more convenient than jumping through the hoops to complain about anything. Company with easy feedback “hoops” tend to pay attention to customer feedback.
I get customer satisfaction email surveys after each stay in most hotel chains. I delete most of them, but on the occasion there was an issue there is a convenient and low “hoop” to express my complaint directly (and privately). It amazes me how impersonal the response has been on those rare occasions though.
Next step is to take an issue to my blog, if it were bad enough and I was vigilant. Being a somewhat normal person by that time I’m way on to other things and let it go, but also vote with my feet on where to stay the next time. There are some specific hotels in good chains that I won’t stay in–usually due to an overdue need for updating, which is something to complain about on a survey, but not really that you’d expect them to do anything about other than get the place on the upgrade list.
I say pay attention to bloggers to catch problems you should know about and fix, and respond to them accordingly. When there is an occasion for an unreasonable person then deal with that too, just as you would if they’re in your store being loud with an audience.
There is a world of worry between a single blogger using his or her individual web space to vent or to dis a company when an experience or product did not meet expectations (somebody had a bad day)–and a string of posted additional comments from others added to that blogger’s gripe which echo or expand the original complaint (maybe big trouble).
PR people should always be aware that ANY “personal” communication with a blogger will likely be printed there for additional scrutiny. And, companies who are “outed” for anonymously posting favorable comments about themselves are derided as “trolls” or “sock puppets.”
The breadth of readership and influence of the blog should also guide a company’s decision on how to respond if at all. The popular website Consumerist is currently running its “Worst Company in America” Tournament. It is bloody. That is not a vote any company would want to win.
In the electronics and small kitchen appliances categories, there is a growing trend with buyers to ask suppliers about “what the rankings are saying” about key items. Some creative sites like wize.com are doing an excellent job harmonizing multiple rankings from dozens of retail sources into a single ranking.
Retailers who make the decision to ignore bloggers, or particularly negative bloggers, will find that their online buzz will tend to grow more negative as time passes. Retailers have to realize that bloggers, tweeters, etc. are not going away; in fact they are gaining strength in their followers, and their influence.
Retailers need to create a new position in the marketing department that is designated Director of Community, and make certain that this person puts the necessary tracking methods in place to listen to what the online world is saying. To simply ignore the negative chatter is not the way to have a dialogue with the customers, and like it or not, the bloggers tend to drive this dialogue forward.
Negative blogging is simply corralling most of the negative things already being said on multiple websites and listserves in one place. The vessel for containment is an open blog that frankly is policed much more effectively by peer blog respondents than it is by the enterprise that establishes and maintains the blog. Yes, there are the “I hate XYZ Inc.” blogs established by critics but again if you are a legitimate enterprise conducting legal commerce that even occasionally makes mistakes, such a presence remains a self-isolated minority with little influence.
My best advice is whether it is a company blog or an “I hate” blog, one needs to monitor them constantly and remember any response should be a carefully considered and measured response. Indeed, most negative posts require no action be taken.
The key word to keep in mind at all times when dealing with social media is “genuine.” You must be genuine at all times when interacting with this audience–as a collective hive mind, social content sniffs out disingenuous content extremely well.
Brands that interact with negative blog posts need to do so in an open, honest and genuine way: “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. We hate that you feel this way. If you’d like, you can contact So-and-So at this email address, and we’ll try to make it right.”
The very last thing you want to do is anything that is even remotely sneaky (i.e. stuffing the comments box with fake positives, street-teaming, etc.).
A blogger’s rant lives forever in the search engine index, and can even show highly for searches on your store name. It’s important to at least respond in comments to bloggers’ posts, and if possible, turn them into your evangelist through “make good” efforts.
Bloggers shouldn’t be “feared” but also shouldn’t be ignored.
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In most cases I think that negative bloggers are best simply ignored. They seek attention and nothing can create more attention than getting into a dialog with the retailer or brand manager that you are writing about. It’s interesting that this topic came up today when the Wall Street Journal report on the government’s interest in bloggers touting products from which they had received payment.
I don’t think negative bloggers can be ignored completely, or simply treated as cranks. Retailers need to discern between those with a case of “sour grapes” and those with valid complaints. It’s possible that negative blogs can bring some serious field operational issues to the attention of management, such as low housekeeping standards, poor replenishment methods and slow checkout procedures. If the tone of negative blogs is consistent and credible, it’s worth making sure that these sorts of problems get corrected before “social networking” turns a brushfire into a PR disaster.
I think that ignoring the customer is always perilous. While a blogger may seek publicity and choose to attack a brand or a company–I would not off-handedly dismiss the whole of the blogging universe for the sins of a few. We have seen many examples of how companies have used any and all social media to either further their causes, trip themselves up, or respond/defend attacks–the most recent being Domino’s strong response to employees creating a video allegedly for their own amusement.
Professionally reinforcing a company’s willingness to address problems (should there be any) is always a good policy. Getting into a mud slinging contest online is no smarter than doing it in print or on a street corner–and can be a whole lot worse.
Retailers should always monitor blogs and Twitter to learn what customers are saying. Blogs and Twitter offer ideal opportunities to listen to consumers, to thank them when they have words of praise and respond to issues.
Blogs allow for a dialogue between retailer and customer. Isn’t that the basis for good customer service and for positive change?
Social media is a way of life; it is not an advertising tool. There is a strong difference between in-bound and out-bound marketing. Retailers must learn how to use in-bound marketing and benefit from it.
Peer to peer communications and influence continues to grow and grow and grow. It’s astounding what consumers will do when a network of “friends” advise. As a shopper insights professional with listening and interpretive skills, what we are hearing today is a shift like nothing I’ve experienced in my career. This time is exciting and scary for marketers, as my friend Rob says–“Buckle Up!”
As a speaker who blogs, I take exception with the idea bloggers should be ignored. Let’s face it, bloggers are looking for attention as a marketing tool. While their influence may not be huge, I don’t see how you can “ignore” it, a Facebook page or Tweets.
Any customer has the ability to sound off like never before. Case in point, a group of Marshall Field’s fans who blog who inundated my blog posting recently about Macy’s.
I’m perplexed. Why are we worried about bloggers as if they’re some sort of beast that’s strange and different–like the Loch Ness monster, or a chimpanzee who’s learned to talk?
From my perspective, a blogger is no different from the food columnist in your local paper–or someone writing a letter to the editor.
Bloggers are media.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The only difference is that, out of the millions who at the moment have no traffic at all, there’s a small chance that someone might hit a nerve with something they’ve said–and suddenly have a big audience.
If you practice good online PR–be accessible, be friendly, be HONEST–and you treat customers fairly, and a nutjob gets famous at your expense, you can look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and say you truly had no control over the situation.
And then, Google Tylenol’s response to the cyanide scare. Do everything they did and you’ll come out without a scratch.
BUT….
If you’re Best Buy a couple of years ago, and store policy in some locations appeared to be bait-and-switch (an in-store pricing policy was directly at odds with that weekend’s FSI, and the store manager chose to fight about it instead of giving the customer the accessory that in fact had been part of the manufacturer’s bundle, but that the store was trying to charge extra for, contrary to the offer in the FSI ad.) then you don’t just have to worry about current bloggers. You’re also going to CREATE new bloggers by your exemplary customer service.
And God help you.
So think of it as the universe’s new mystery-shopping program.
BTW–delight a blogger, and s/he will sing your praises to the rooftops. They don’t have the space limitations that a New York Times columnist does. And there are no laws saying they can’t get famous by loving you as well as hating you.
But basically, bloggers are media.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The bigger trend in this area is the one to watch: as there are more and more blogging “voices,” bloggers have an incentive to take a more extreme position in order to stand out from the crowd, and it’s usually extreme negative positions that get the most attention. So there may very well be more negative voices out there about a brand, not because the brand deserves it, but because it drives traffic.
I don’t know how this will play out. In the meantime, I agree that you should always listen to what customers and influencers are saying about you, and respond appropriately, where appropriate. But that’s easier said than done today, and I don’t know that it’s going to get any easier….
As usual, not a black and white issue. It’s critically important to react, without over-reacting, to blogs that enjoy traffic and credibility. In many instances, it’s even a good practice for someone from the company, who is professedly skilled and trained, to respond in a conversational tone, and with full identity.
On the other hand, to over-react in a dramatic, defensive, or non professional manner, will backfire and make a negative situation worse.
Also, be discreet about which blogs you concern yourself with. There are some cases where only the blogger is reading his or her own blog.
We (bloggers) are customers. Blogging is a new “voice.” It is more convenient than jumping through the hoops to complain about anything. Company with easy feedback “hoops” tend to pay attention to customer feedback.
I get customer satisfaction email surveys after each stay in most hotel chains. I delete most of them, but on the occasion there was an issue there is a convenient and low “hoop” to express my complaint directly (and privately). It amazes me how impersonal the response has been on those rare occasions though.
Next step is to take an issue to my blog, if it were bad enough and I was vigilant. Being a somewhat normal person by that time I’m way on to other things and let it go, but also vote with my feet on where to stay the next time. There are some specific hotels in good chains that I won’t stay in–usually due to an overdue need for updating, which is something to complain about on a survey, but not really that you’d expect them to do anything about other than get the place on the upgrade list.
I say pay attention to bloggers to catch problems you should know about and fix, and respond to them accordingly. When there is an occasion for an unreasonable person then deal with that too, just as you would if they’re in your store being loud with an audience.
There is a world of worry between a single blogger using his or her individual web space to vent or to dis a company when an experience or product did not meet expectations (somebody had a bad day)–and a string of posted additional comments from others added to that blogger’s gripe which echo or expand the original complaint (maybe big trouble).
PR people should always be aware that ANY “personal” communication with a blogger will likely be printed there for additional scrutiny. And, companies who are “outed” for anonymously posting favorable comments about themselves are derided as “trolls” or “sock puppets.”
The breadth of readership and influence of the blog should also guide a company’s decision on how to respond if at all. The popular website Consumerist is currently running its “Worst Company in America” Tournament. It is bloody. That is not a vote any company would want to win.
In the electronics and small kitchen appliances categories, there is a growing trend with buyers to ask suppliers about “what the rankings are saying” about key items. Some creative sites like wize.com are doing an excellent job harmonizing multiple rankings from dozens of retail sources into a single ranking.
Retailers who make the decision to ignore bloggers, or particularly negative bloggers, will find that their online buzz will tend to grow more negative as time passes. Retailers have to realize that bloggers, tweeters, etc. are not going away; in fact they are gaining strength in their followers, and their influence.
Retailers need to create a new position in the marketing department that is designated Director of Community, and make certain that this person puts the necessary tracking methods in place to listen to what the online world is saying. To simply ignore the negative chatter is not the way to have a dialogue with the customers, and like it or not, the bloggers tend to drive this dialogue forward.
Negative blogging is simply corralling most of the negative things already being said on multiple websites and listserves in one place. The vessel for containment is an open blog that frankly is policed much more effectively by peer blog respondents than it is by the enterprise that establishes and maintains the blog. Yes, there are the “I hate XYZ Inc.” blogs established by critics but again if you are a legitimate enterprise conducting legal commerce that even occasionally makes mistakes, such a presence remains a self-isolated minority with little influence.
My best advice is whether it is a company blog or an “I hate” blog, one needs to monitor them constantly and remember any response should be a carefully considered and measured response. Indeed, most negative posts require no action be taken.
The key word to keep in mind at all times when dealing with social media is “genuine.” You must be genuine at all times when interacting with this audience–as a collective hive mind, social content sniffs out disingenuous content extremely well.
Brands that interact with negative blog posts need to do so in an open, honest and genuine way: “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. We hate that you feel this way. If you’d like, you can contact So-and-So at this email address, and we’ll try to make it right.”
The very last thing you want to do is anything that is even remotely sneaky (i.e. stuffing the comments box with fake positives, street-teaming, etc.).
A blogger’s rant lives forever in the search engine index, and can even show highly for searches on your store name. It’s important to at least respond in comments to bloggers’ posts, and if possible, turn them into your evangelist through “make good” efforts.
Bloggers shouldn’t be “feared” but also shouldn’t be ignored.