Auto Media Blog

I recently read a post on a Dealerrefresh.com, a blog that I feel is overall very well written and managed.  That being said the post I read was about, what the author cleverly called "flogging".  Unfortunately the cleverness stopped at the title.  The term "Flogging" was coined to describe a jaded or un-happy consumer's attack on a brand, business or individual on the web using a blog or web forum.  This blog entry written by a "guest poster" deals with the growing problems for businesses (in particular Car Dealerships)  of what is commonly known as User Generated Interest or UGI for short.

1st a Brief definition of "User Generated Interest"- Quite simply is your peers, consumers or colleagues writing a review about a product, establishment or service and "publishing" it to the web.

These "published" reviews can help aide & be used as a guide by you, or others to help decide whether or not to buy a product or use a service from a person or business.

A great example of everyday "UGI" is Circuit City see below;

Circuit City uses "UGI"

UGI can be great!  When it comes to purchasing a product, UGI can help you get a better idea about what other consumers who have bought a product that you are interested in thought about it BEFORE you buy! But....

UGI can be UGLY.

Even though in this thumbnail you can see what people thought about a "TV" for sale at  Circuit City, try and find where someone who has an opinion about Circuit City can post thier opinions.....

This is where UGI becomes UGLY.  When consumers can't get the answers they want, or the results they want right or wrong, they turn to the web.  They blog about it, post in chat rooms, post on bulliten boards and anywhere else they can get their view out... Right or Wrong.

People often like to emphasize the Bad and Minimize the Good.  So in our everyday modern life of mind blowingly fast changing technology, light speed communications and the overall shrinking of our world what is one to do stop someone from posting something that is biased, not accurate, a half-truth or cannot be re-butted?

The below excerpt came from the guest author on DealerRefresh.Com and is something We Whole-Heartly Disagree with:

"My advice to our clients has generally been the same.  First evaluate whether or not elements in the post are utterly false in which case an attorney's letter might be in order.  More commonly though I advise dealers to swallow their pride and actively do whatever it takes to resolve the issue with the customer while asking for a retraction or positive update in the blog."

Why is this bad advice? 

There is an old saying you cannot un-ring a bell.  To ask someone to post a "retraction" or a "positive update" is not enough when it comes to protecting your name or a brand.  As for an attorney letter, that may work if the posting is purely slander....but what if what is being posted is true?  How do you defend, mitigate or minimize the damage from such a comment or comments?

What Should You Do?  Well, We Have Answers!

1. Add A "Rants & Raves" page to your Website - That's right, add a page where people can voice their concerns to your website.  This may sound crazy but it gives you control.  It gives you control and credibility.  It allows people a place to vent where you can answer their concerns in a responsible way while showing the world that you are addressing other peoples issues.  This is the start of Web-Cred (Web Credibility) and it will add to your brand.
2. Thouroughly address the "Ranter's" problem - In clear, easy to understand language and if you are wrong ADMIT IT, and publically offer a solution that the masses would view as more than fair.  Ever here how Nordstrom accepted the return of a tire even though they didn't sell tires?  Well if you didn't here is the Nordstrom Link.
3. Invite the "Ranter" to post on your site - To help you level the playing field and control the conversation.
4. Aggressively Police Public Forums - Such as Dealer Rater, Yahoo Local and More (email us for a complete list Info@AutoMediaCorp.Com )
5. If the "Ranter" is posting to a blog you should post to it as well, if you cant post to the blog, reference it in your "Rants Page" and properly address the concerns voiced on your page.
6. Very Important Get your Rants & Raves Page Syndicated via RSS to as many feeds as possible (Below Are A Few of the Most Important);
1. Send Technorati Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://www.technorati.com/
    
   Send Blo.gs Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://www.blo.gs/
    
   Send Weblogs.com Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://www.weblogs.com/
    
   Send Yahoo Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2
    
   Send BlogRolling Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://www.blogrolling.com/
    
   Send Google Ping (XML-RPC)
   http://blogsearch.google.com/

What is outlined above is just a few of the steps required to protect your name and your business on the web.  There should be a set gameplan that is followed and updated as needed to help insure your customers have a good experience and for the ones that don't the above is a good place to start.