managing your brand in online forums stephan spencer president, internet concepts...
TRANSCRIPT
Managing Your Brandin Online Forums
• Introduction to online forums• Reactive methods for damage control• Proactive methods for damage control
Online Forums
• Usenet newsgroups vs. listservs (email) vs. Web-based forums vs. chat
• Moderated (approval of postings by a moderator) vs. unmoderated (anything goes)
• Archives of Usenet available via http://groups.google.com, of Web forums via google.com
Email-Based Discussion Groups• Definition:
– Bi-directional mailing list, a.k.a. “listserv”• Advantages
– Easy to access; ubiquitous• Disadvantages
– Clogs up users mailbox; non-regulated• Example:
Usenet-Based Discussion Groups (“Newsgroups”)
• Definition:– Worldwide network of “newsgroups” on 50,000+ topics,
accessed via newsreader (such as Netscape) or Google Groups• Advantages:
– Regulated; topics are unique; separate from email• Disadvantages:
– Need newsreader; messages periodically deleted• Example:
– rec.travel.bed+breakfast
Web-Based Discussion Groups
• Definition:– Discussions are posted on a World Wide Web site
• Advantages– Drives traffic into your Web site
• Disadvantages– Non-regulated; requires Web access
• Example: – http://www.writers.net/forum/
Reactive Methods forDamage Control
• Respond directly to the poster and solve their problem• Respond to the group from the company’s perspective • Respond to the group from an employee’s perspective• Ask others to post positive opinions in response• Cancel the message using “cancelmoose” (careful!)
Handling Negative Posts
• Are people posting negative comments about your company or products?
• How do you find out?• How do you respond?• Are you doing anything to avoid and/or contain
future occurrences?
Handling Negative Posts (cont.)• Examples in Usenet
– Intel Pentium bug fiasco• Posted by Prof. Thomas Nicely in October 1994• Thousands of messages to Usenet followed• Cost Intel approximately $500 million
– American Express “bad service” thread– Your company?
• Remember: archived Usenet postings never go away!
Proactive Methods forDamage Control
• Monitor discussion forums• Participate in discussion forums• Create your own discussion forums• Moderate discussion forums• Write a FAQ
Monitoring Discussion Forums
• You can monitor...– Usenet with http://groups.google.com– Web forums with google.com– Email lists with CataList at www lsoft.com
• Advanced searching– Boolean logic (and, or, not)– Searching for a phrase (use “ ”)
Participating in Discussion Forums
• Post frequently• Answer questions, add value, and don’t
advertise!• Use your “signature” line to soft sell your
company• As a general rule: focus on Usenet newsgroups
before listservs
Creating Your Own Discussion Forums
• The benefits– Control, visibility, brand awareness
• What type(s) of discussion forum to create (listserv, Usenet newsgroup, Web forum, or chat room)?
• Moderated or unmoderated?
Why a Usenet Newsgroup?
• Millions of people participate in newsgroups• Over 250,000 messages are posted to
newsgroups each day• Newsgroups are automatically promoted• Newsgroups are limited to one per topic,
effectively locking out your competitors if you are ‘first to market’
Why Moderate?
• Editorial control• Protection from liability• First view of new posts• The ability to place a “footer” message at the
bottom of each posting to drive traffic to your web site (e.g. Archives of this newsgroup can be found at our web site…)
Setting Up a Usenet Newsgroup
• The process– Takes several months and does not cost anything but your
time– Look at the Usenet newsgroup news.announce.newgroups
for more info– Step 1: Request for Discussion (RFD)– Step 2: Usenet Volunteer Votetakers (UVV) Questionnaire– Step 3: Call For Votes (CFV)
Maintaining a Usenet Newsgroup• No hardware required• Moderation may take anywhere from 15 min to 1 hr per
day• Don’t fall behind on the moderation. Approve postings at
least daily if possible.• Try to offer archives, a FAQ, and an email list (listserv)
gateway to the newsgroup, if possible• If you are also maintaining a listserv, prepare to spend
2+ hrs per month on administrivia
Discussion Group Archives
• Definition:– Searchable repository of previously posted
discussion group messages• Examples:
– http://www.innsite.com/rtbb/
Writing and Maintaining a FAQ• Definition:
– A “Frequently Asked Questions” document that answers commonly asked questions on the discussion forum
• Refer to the FAQ when answering repeated questions• Draw from participants’ postings for the FAQ• Promote your FAQ
– FAQ Archives: news.answers, *.answers, MIT, OSU, ...• Example:
– http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/Satellite-TV/FAQ/faq.html
Summary• Why
– Discussion forums have a great deal of potential for negative branding
– Discussion forums are often overlooked by companies. Don’t make the same mistake!
• How– React quickly to negative posts– Be proactive!
• Monitor, participate, create your own, moderate, write a FAQ
