Posted by Christopher Stevenson
The cover story for the June 1 issue of the American Marketing Association's Marketing News, "Knock, Knock: Who's There?" lays out some of the hazards of Web 2.0. The article provides some examples of Web 2.0 nightmares, like the death threats against Kathy Sierra and the Craigslist debacle in Tacoma, Wash. The stories are plenty scary, but the article provides little helpful information on how to truly protect your brand from Web 2.0 nasties. The tips include:
- Be genuine. Don't create fake blogs.
- Let the online community police itself.
- Be positive and helpful; steer away from controversy.
It's good, basic information, but not very helpful (and I'm not completely convinced that a little controversy is bad). I want more information on what I really need to do to manage Web 2.0 risk.
Then I found Protecting Your Credit Union's Reputation at CU Hype, which offers great tips for actively defending your credit union's brand and reputation in the Web 2.0 era. Here's the gist of it--you can't just "post and coast." Organizations that have a Web presence, whether a blog, wiki, or just a Web site, need to actively monitor cyberspace and take measures to protect themselves. Make use of the tools available on line, like Google Alerts, Technorati, Bloglines, and Google Analytics to keep tabs on who's talking about your credit union and visiting your blog. And, be sure to keep the lines of communication open with consumers.
Social media is new to many CUs, and often they are hesitant to delve into it for fear of leaving the credit union too exposed to fraudulent activity or Web 2.0 bullies. But whether you're blogging or not, your reputation is still on the line in cyberspace (just ask the CEO of the credit union that had its name blog-jacked). CU Hype's post should be required reading for every credit union marketer.
