Friday 22 January 2010

SideWiki – is it Open Warfare? Asks Stuart Wilkin

 

There’s been a bit of a scare in the PR industry, ever since Google launched its Sidewiki technology at the end of last year.  The application allows members of the public to post a comment in a browser window directly next to a brand’s website. And so marketing and PR professionals face another challenge as they strive to manage the brand reputation of their clients.

 

So far things have been relatively quiet, but how long before open warfare breaks out. There are some rules. The targeted website can flag illegal or abusive content using a ‘Report Abuse’ button. But other than that you can’t edit or delete users’ opinions.  

 

Brand managers have used social media to promote their businesses, but now things are anything but one way. And subversive comments directly next to a company’s website could dilute the site’s credibility and, in the worst case, drive customers away.

 

There may be some amusing banter appearing next to football clubs’ websites in due course, but is this new application rendering PR agencies a little less potent? You can use it to you advantage by persuading happy customers to post warm comments.

 

The long term impact may be just a reminder that you always need your business to have substance behind the spinning words. If you have a good product and give your customers excellent service they’ll buy from you anyway. Concentrate on that.

 

And if you interact regularly with your customers, surely new and nimble threats like this will be less of a worry. After all, websites in 2010 should be about two way communication. You don’t need to be scared of people telling you what they think.

 

But if we all stoop to the temptation of posting comments on competitors’ websites then we will be hurtling headlong into the Wild West. And then watch the PR people run for cover!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Blog archive

2010 (3)

- January (2)

- SideWiki – is it Open Warfare? Asks Stuart Wilkin

- It's snow joke

- February (1)

- Into the Cloud

 

2009 (10)

- July (4)

- Why are Businesses prepared to stick with antiquated break fix IT services?

- Focus IT welcomes Shaw Austin....

- Managing Director, Harry Edwards, joins the CIS

- Welcome to the new focus IT Blog

- August (2)

- Focus IT customers save on electricity bills

- Green Bragging rights for Alcatel Lucent

- September (2)

- Is There a Ghost (or a Worm) in your machine? Asks Stuart Wilkin

- When cash is tight slashing your IT budget is a false economy, writes Stuart Wilkin

- October (1)

- Cyber Slacking – Maybe the Aussies have got it right, writes Stuart Wilkin

- November (1)

- A Website's Not Just For Christmas, writes Stuart Wilkin