Protecting Your Brand Reputation In Digital Communication
Social media has been a big help for brands and companies since platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook allow them to have a wider reach and increase customer engagement in different parts of the world. But there’s also a downside to being constantly active on these sites as it only takes an ill-timed hashtag, one tone-deaf post, or a distasteful ad to incite massive backlash, both from affected parties and keyboard warriors. For instance, think about Apple’s 2024 iPad ad, depicting a piano, some camera lenses, a trumpet, and a turntable being slowly crushed by a hydraulic press to create the new iPad Pro.
Netizens believed that Apple was symbolically crushing humanity by showing the destruction of these tools. Although their marketing communications head admitted that they “missed the mark” with the ad, it still sparked a lot of negative comments on social media and painted Apple in a bad light. Whether you’re an owner of a startup or a marketing executive for a large organization, it’s important to know the do’s and don’ts of promoting and engaging on social media and other online channels. Here are ways to protect your brand reputation in digital communication.
Address Negative Feedback and Complaints Effectively
The concept of right and wrong changes from generation to generation, and what would have been funny two or three decades ago may be offensive today for some people. That being said, if your social media post has resulted in a lot of irate comments or criticism, it’s important to address negative feedback and complaints effectively, and as soon as possible. Before the issue grows out of control, acknowledge that a mistake has been made, then offer a simple explanation for the blunder without blaming others. Give a sincere apology, then fix the problem right then and there by deleting the post or revising the content. You can also offer solutions to prevent the same mistake from happening again in the future, such as telling your followers that you’ll be educating yourself and the marketing team, or that you’ll be undergoing retraining on the issues mentioned.But what if the mistake was due to a cybercriminal’s doing, and not your own? There have been instances wherein hackers have used a company’s name to scam Internet users and infiltrate environments through phishing attacks. Since social media gives phishers tons of opportunities to cosplay as legitimate entities, you will need to be proactive to protect your customers and your brand. Go public with the situation right away so you can warn people about the ongoing phishing scheme. Waiting to tell people will only lead to more issues, so be sure to act fast. To strengthen your internal defenses, coordinate with your tech team so they can put email security solutions and layered security tools in place.
Know Your Audience
Understanding your target audience is key to any marketing campaign’s success, so if you’re on social media, you need to create content that resonates with them. Doing so will encourage your audience to engage with your brand, and it also prevents you from making posts or statements that could potentially offend them or make you seem as though you’re out of touch. So for instance, if your audience is Gen Alpha, include humorous and relatable content, memes, or trends that are relevant to them in your posts. Feel free to use Gen Alpha Internet slang, but make it a point to know what phrases like “skibidi Ohio rizz” means before using it in your posts.
Don’t know who your target audience is? There are various ways to find them, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to identify who needs your product or service, and who can afford them. So for instance, let’s say that you’re marketing a line of essential oil-infused perfumes. According to research, products like these are popular among young women, especially if they feature luxurious packaging or if they are believed to promote skin elasticity and firmness. In this case, your target audience is women between the ages of 25 to 40 years old, so that includes older Gen Z and Millennials. Not only are they proactive about anti-aging, but most of them also prefer innovative cosmetics and skincare, and they have the financial ability to buy your products.
Once you’ve identified your audience, do some further research so you can create content that’s specifically made for them. Make a profile and list down your audience’s estimated income level (very important for pricing and for creating promos), their lifestyle, values, and interests. You should also know who their role models are because the content that you create for fans of, say, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, may not resonate with those who love Angelina Jolie and Gemma Chan.
Use Multi-Channel Marketing
One of the biggest mistakes that most brands make is focusing too much on one online platform or channel. To create brand awareness and capture customers’ attention, you’ll need to create content for channels other than social media. Although promoting on Instagram or TikTok is one of the easiest ways to communicate with your audience, these sites also give people a platform to air out their grievances about your brand, staff, services, or products. This leads to the creation of a public forum of sorts, and if things escalate, it can be potentially damaging to your reputation.
To protect your brand, consider multi-channel marketing since being on different channels gives you the chance to have tailored interactions with your audience. Also, by creating multiple touchpoints, you’ll have lots of opportunities to strengthen consumers’ trust in your products. Some people may be intrigued about your products or services once they see it on their social media feeds, but that may not be enough to get them to support your brand. Most individuals do their research on multiple platforms to see if what you’re offering is worth the money, so they’ll look for blogs, a website, videos, and other online resources.
Also, consider the fact that there are potential customers out there that are not on social media, so they may have no idea that your product is already creating buzz on TikTok. But by creating an engaging website that has quality content, plus some informative yet entertaining videos on YouTube, you can build your brand and be present at every stage of your customer’s journey as they get to know your products.
Monitor Your Online Presence
Your brand may be getting a lot of online praise right now, but that’s no reason for you to be neglectful of your social media responsibilities. It only takes one negative comment (especially if it comes with proof) to turn the Internet against your company or product, so be vigilant and regularly monitor your online presence. Set up social media monitoring tools to track and react to social media engagements, such as mentions, hashtags, and comments related to your brand. Using tools like these not only helps to prevent crises and effectively manage your reputation, but they also allow you to respond promptly to your customers on social media.
You may also want to hire a social media manager to track your accounts daily. If someone is angry and they can’t speak to someone from your customer service team right away, it’s a sure thing that they’ll go on your social media accounts. If they’re truly upset, they may even skip the direct messaging feature and post their complaints right on a public post where everyone can see them. Your social media manager should always check your brand’s most recent Facebook, X, or Instagram posts since that’s where you’re bound to see the complaints and unsavory comments. All criticisms and complaints should be responded to in a prompt and graceful manner, but your staff can also draw the line and delete certain comments, especially if a person is posting threats or using vulgar or profane language.
Watch What You Say
Speaking of profanity, there has been a growing trend of companies using expletives in ads and social media posts to generate buzz about their products or campaigns. One recent example is an ad by a UK-based charity called GirlsvsCancer, and this institution used an expletive in a campaign for positive sexual health among people with cancer. Although it certainly got people’s attention and created a lot of hype in online spaces, the ad was promptly banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. According to the ASA, the word was offensive and “it should not be used or alluded to in advertising.”
Some experts believe that when used properly and in the right context, swear words can provoke and empower, and they can get people talking, which can result in increased exposure for brands. It can even make your brand seem more relatable and authentic, because let’s be honest, swearing is such a common, ordinary thing that most people do in real life. It’s a risky move though, especially if you’re unsure if your target audience will find the language offensive.
For a safer way to add some edge to your posts, consider humorous wordplay to make a bold statement without sounding crass. So, for example, if you’re selling chocolate, feel free to use “What the Fudge,” or if you’re promoting bedding, go with “This Sheet Hits Different.” While they’re definitely cheeky, you won’t be offending anyone with your posts or ads.
Protecting your brand reputation in digital communication requires vigilance and prompt action. Be proactive and knowledgeable and stay classy and maintain your composure even while facing complaints and online trolls. Finally, make time to develop the necessary skills to handle criticism from social media users so you can keep your brand reputation strong, and be a positive presence online.