Brand names are being tarnished, client images are being ruined, and competitive bidding is occurring at alarming rates. Several offline factors are affecting the performance of client brands online. It is not uncommon in a competitive landscape for the search campaigns of competing companies to buy branded terms or media to profit from an attack on a client’s product. It is imperative to take action to defend against this practice.

Being proactive is the answer. This makes it easier to defend the client’s reputation if something negative is reported, and it protects the brand against misrepresentation. Reputation management cannot be an afterthought. It needs to be discussed during a crisis, when a new competitor emerges, recalls of a product are necessary, or negative press is occurring.

Currently, Toyota is in a reputation management disaster, yet there does not appear to be any proactive online approach to the recall that put them in their current position. There has been news articles, press on television, and buzz online (twitter, blogs, and news stories), but where is Toyota’s take? Banners, PPC campaigns, and videos should be all over the Internet; Toyota should be flooding the public with how much they care about consumers and their safety. In addition, action should be taken to move forward and prevent this type of public relations nightmare from happening again. In essence, Toyota needs to be actively, and proactively, working to build back and maintain the trust of the frustrated and angry consumer.

To be proactive, consider the points listed below:
•    Look at Offline and Online Influences
•    Evaluate Competitors in the Search Space
•    Look at SERPs (Search Engines Results Pages) in Google, Yahoo, and Bing

First, look at what is driving people in the offline environment to the online space. It could be a newscast, newspaper article, or offline communication between people. This is the base for creating a reputation management campaign. It is imperative, regardless of the vertical being used, to understand what consumers are saying about the brand. Use simple tools, like an RSS feed to e-mail, Technorati, Google e-mail alerts or Insights, Yahoo Buzz, or even social media tools, to constantly monitor the brand. In addition, tap into your client’s PR department. Use that information as data to be proactive. This is basic reputation management. Don’t wait until there is a crisis to decide that this is a good practice.

Next, review the competitors in your space and note the strengths and weaknesses of the power players. Determine how they may impact the client’s brand. Compare messaging between the client brand and competitors. Identify any violations of trademark protection and/or any false claims in the copy or underscoring and take action accordingly by filing a trademark protection of the brand with all major engines. Internal measures should be in place to address competitors. Determine if the PPC campaign is aligned appropriately with a landing page that addresses detailed information about the brand. For example, questions and answers about the brand, safety and concerns, and procedure for a recall. Communication between the consumer and the client brand is critical.

Finally, evaluate the SERPs for keywords the client is or should be targeting. It is imperative to always be adding valuable and credible content to protect the client’s brand in the SEO space. In addition, create a micro-site, develop links, use content creation strategies such as a blog or new site pages, use RSS, create or leverage video, and create a social media campaign that positions the client as the industry expert. Perform these tasks intending to make an impact.
The web is changing constantly, causing information to move with increasing speed. Being proactive allows you to keep a close watch on the changing environment in order to prevent a potential disaster.

Article By Rebecca Keen