management of negative pr online

Research Project for COMM 503

University of Alberta

By: Yuliya Riabko

THE MANAGEMENT OF NEGATIVE PR ONLINE

Every organization works hard to manage its public relations (PR) to be perceived as the best organization in what it does. The management of PR is very important to the success of an organization.

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION

Introduction Case Studies Articles Lessons Learned Bibliography

One way to manage PR is to send news releases with the latest updates about the company. Another way is to participate in online discussions and talk directly with potential customers.

One may think that the management of PR is easy; that it is as simple as talking and promoting a business online. However, this is not as easy as it sounds. With so many social media channels, online reviews, and online communities, PR can explode and get out of control.

The following presentation is going to discuss:

• Two real cases of how bad PR management was managed online;

• How to manage and prevent negative PR online.

The following presentation is going to discuss:

• Two real cases of how bad PR management was managed online;

• How to manage and prevent negative PR online.

This presentation will also provide a list of:

• Articles about the management of PR for further reading

• Twitter users who tend to tweet about the management of PR

• Online companies who specialize in the management of PR online

American singer Beyoncé was one among the performers to sign at president Obama’s inauguration. After lip-synching the national anthem, Beyoncé was criticized badly online.

CASE 1: MARINE BAND CONFIRMS BEYONCÉ LIP-SYNCHED AT

OBAMA INAUGURATION

There were also hundreds of negative but also supportive comments posted under each media release about the fact

OBAMA INAUGURATION

When Beyoncé realized the damage that she created by lip-synching she responded quickly by signing live at her next concert.

CASE 1: HOW DID SHE DEAL WITH IT?

Beyoncé's response follows four key steps for crisis management:

1) Respond quickly

2) Be authentic and genuine in your response

3) If you’ve done wrong, admit fault

4) If your credibility has been called into question, find ways to quickly re-establish it

I think that having a live concert after lip-synching does not show a good management of PR.

WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT IT?

I am sure that the concert was scheduled way before the inauguration and it was part of her concert series. Unless she was planning to lip-synch at the concert, but after the inauguration crisis she changed her mind.

Although, the bad PR online has decreased after some time, it is not necessarily due to Beyoncé's live concert but due to the general nature of online talks.

People tend to talk a lot about a specific subject during the first few days, but with time as more events occur, people tend to talk less about the old events and switch their attention to the newer ones. Hence, even though the bad PR had decreased, it is hard to conclude that it was due to the Beyoncé's act at her concert.

Amy’s Baking Company participated in the Kitchen Nightmares TV show.

CASE 2: THIS IS THE MOST EPIC BRAND

MELTDOWN ON FACEBOOK EVER

After receiving so many negative comments by Gordon Ramsey (TV host) the owners have taken it online in order to defend themselves.

However, the response from the online community was overwhelming and contributed to a meltdown of Amy’s Baking Company’s online reputation

Online fans commented on Amy’s Baking Company’s Facebook page. Amy’s Baking Company responded back to them. But the situation got even worse, as more and more fans began to write bad reviews about Amy’s Baking Company

The comments appeared on other online channels as well

CASE 2: HOW DID THEY DEAL WITH IT?

The owners went on TV and claimed that they did not write these nasty responses and that their social media accounts were hacked and became frozen.

They also mentioned that they hired a PR representative who would help them with the management of their PR

Going on TV and claiming that the social media channels were hacked may seem like a good idea. But there is no proof that Amy’s Baking Company’s online reputation has improved since then.

People are still writing bad reviews about Amy’s Baking Company online and people still remember the story.

On the other hand, after the social media meltdown, Amy’s Baking Company managed to maintain its customers, as they keep visiting the restaurant.

The cases of Beyoncé and Amy’s Baking Company demonstrate that not all strategies of managing PR are effective.

NEXT SET OF PRESENTATION

The management of PR online is a challenging task that requires a customized approach.

Therefore, the following slides will examine other strategies of how to manage PR online. These strategies are taken from five online articles.

• Before doing anything, evaluate the situation and think if it is worth to take an action about itTake no action

• Let them know your point of view, especially if the story is fake

• Talk nicely to them • Ask for an independent opinion of a third party

Contact the reporter or editor

• If the article damages the reputation of your business issue a public statement (on your website, in a newspaper) explaining the situation

Issue a public response

ARTICLE 1:MANAGING BAD PRESS

I agree with the first point of stopping and thinking whether bad PR is worth dealing with. Some times it is just better to leave it alone and not to respond with the hope that the issue will go away.

MY OPINION

I also agree with the second point that sometimes it may be beneficial to contact the editors directly and explain to them your point of view on the article. I am, however, doubtful that they will be willing to talk to you, or that they will write a response article.

MY OPINION

Lastly, issuing a public response can be a good idea. Especially if the organization has a website. This approach, however, may not be work for businesses with limited resources that do not have a website.

MY OPINION

Lastly, issuing a public response can be a good idea. Especially if the organization has a website. This approach, however, may not be work for businesses with limited resources that do not have a website.

If there is an article that damages a small business’s sales and revenues, it may have limited financial resources to write a decent blog or to update/create a website. Assuming it cannot do it on its own and needs to hire somebody.

MY OPINION

1) Weigh your response first

• Respond carefully to any comment

2) Don’t overreact

• Stay calm because overreacting can bring more attention to the subject

3) Ask for equal time

• Reply to the negative PR

• If information is incorrect, add the correct information

4) Use facts and figures and cite

third party sources

• Where possible use facts and references

ARTICLE 2:AN 8-STEP GUIDE TO MANAGING NEGATIVE PR

5) Let your advocates defend

• Where possible , allow your customers to defend you and respond to the negative PR

6) If appropriate, apologize

• If you know it is your fault apologize and take the right steps to fix the problem

7) Generate positive content where possible

• After the incident try to generate positive PR in the community

8) Ask yourself: is this an

opportunity?

• Analyze the comment and see if it could be an opportunity to fix/update your business practices

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

third party sources

opportunity?

I would agree with the first point that we should first weigh our response and then reply. The best way is simply to analyze where the negative PR came from and whether it is true or not. I think it is very important to look at this situation objectively before responding

MY OPINION

I would agree with the first point that we should first weigh our response and then reply. The best way is simply to analyze where the negative PR came from and whether it is true or not. I think it is very important to look at this situation objectively before responding

I also like the fourth point of having facts and references. However, sometime it is still difficult to respond using facts because bad PR may rely on facts as well. The most important point, I think, is to make sure your facts and stats are up-to-date and accurate, leaving as little room as possible for their misinterpretation.

MY OPINION

I agree with the fifth point of letting advocates to defend you if they want. However, this may not be always possible, as a avenues for doing so may be limited. In other words, customers of a business may not always have the means to access the relevant channels to defend a business.

MY OPINION

The point about apology is also very good. I would, however, suggest that any reply can start with the apology. I believe that saying an apology before providing the true facts may also decrease the negative PR.

MY OPINION

The point about apology is also very good. I would, however, suggest that any reply can start with the apology. I believe that saying an apology before providing the true facts may also decrease the negative PR.

The last point is my favorite of all. I believe that constantly evaluating an organization is actually very beneficial. Many times business owners have a biased view on how they run their business. Hearing a critique would allow them to look at their business from a different perspective and see where they can improve.

MY OPINION

Update your front page with the latest words that are trending in search

Keep an eye on unfavorable content about your business

If you see negative comments try to move them

If needed create various sites about your business

Write blogs and articles, send press releases

ARTICLE 3:ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES IN CHENNAI INDIA

I agree that business should keep an eye on unfavourable content online. I believe that business should use various social media tools to track what is said about the business online, and respond to it if possible and necessary.

MY OPINION

I agree that business should keep an eye on unfavourable content online. I believe that business should use various social media tools to track what is said about the business online, and respond to it if possible and necessary.

I disagree, however, that it is important to update the home page of a website with trending words. Updating the front page constantly may lead to a high cost for a business, as each update usually costs money. Also, having the latest trending words on the website does not mean that the PR will be successful or not. All it does is just make the website come up more often in online searches.

MY OPINION

I also disagree with the point that if you have negative comments you should move them. First, it is unclear how moving a point could be done. Second, if the author means to remove bad comments altogether, it may put a business’s integrity into question and contribute to even more bad PR.

MY OPINION

I also disagree with the point that if you have negative comments you should move them. First, it is unclear how moving a point could be done. Second, if the author means to remove bad comments altogether, it may put a business’s integrity into question and contribute to even more bad PR.

Finally, I would agree that writing various blogs, articles, and sending a press release may contribute to the positive management of PR, because a business would usually write positive things. However, a business should be careful, because any write up online may be met with bad comments by the readers and it may actually contribute to negative PR online.

MY OPINION

Be prepared • Be familiar with various social media and public relations tools

Get the facts • Gather all the possible facts in order to defend yourself well

Be proactive• Prepare various press releases, photographs, videos, and celebrity

interviews in order to have constant positive updates about your company online

The media center• If planning an event, set up a media center whose responsibility

would be to respond to crises in case they occur

Alert the media • When possible let the media know about the latest updates

ARTICLE 4:REPUTATION MANAGEMENT PR

Use internet • Create a website and monitor it 24/7

Implement a physical perimeter

• If a crisis involves the police then ask them to tape off the affected area

Monitor the news • Keep an eye on the news and see if there is any negative reporting

Create daily briefings

• If possible create a short press release on a daily basis

Create daily soundbytes

• Have somebody analyse the daily updates and quickly brief others on them

The truth - and only the truth

• Make sure to say the truth about the situation

Spokespeople • Have a professional spokesperson talking on your behalf

Speak Slowly• By speaking slowly you will be able to organize your thoughts

and deliver your message clearly

Acknowledge when you Are wrong

• Admit and apologize when you and your organization representatives have done something wrong

Keep your tape recorders on

• If going to a conference that relates to a conflict then record everything that was said there

Nothing is off the record

• Don’t talk to anybody “off the record” because some people will still record what you are saying

Crowd control• Try to control the crowd, especially when talking to the media

during conferences

Never say “no comment”

• If you are not sure how to reply to specific question, simply explain that you do not have an answer to that question currently but you will check and will get back with the answer

Create good vibes• In case it is an event crisis try to create a good environment

around you

during conferences

around you

during conferences

around you

during conferences

around you

I like the broad number of points that examine the long term solutions for the management of a bad PR, especially when there is an event that occurs and requires the gathering of evidence to prove a person’s innocence. Therefore, I believe that the suggestions are beneficial in case there is a court case, or bad PR involving a famous person.

MY OPINION

I like the broad number of points that examine the long term solutions for the management of a bad PR, especially when there is an event that occurs and requires the gathering of evidence to prove a person’s innocence. Therefore, I believe that the suggestions are beneficial in case there is a court case, or bad PR involving a famous person.

Moreover, having a detailed response plan could be useful for a business of any size. Additionally, a professional spokespersons are also essential to any business size and type, as they know how to deliver information effectively.

MY OPINION

Monitoring the news is a great idea as well. There are various online tools that exist to help organizations monitor online news releases. Perhaps a company should use those.

MY OPINION

Monitoring the news is a great idea as well. There are various online tools that exist to help organizations monitor online news releases. Perhaps a company should use those.

Lastly, speaking slowly is an important skills to have. Many times a business overreacts and either writes a quick response online or talks fast while replying to questions. Remaining calm during those times is crucial as it helps to think, as well as show the critics that you are calm when it comes to some sensitive issue.

MY OPINION

• Try to get attention of the smaller newspapers first

Start Small

• Create a list of authors that may be interested to write about you

Create a press list

• Reporters may notice new followers and may do a further research about you

Follow reporters

• Try to tie your pitch to recent events happening in the news

Be current

• Think about creative ways of approaching the reporter

Look for ways to stand out

ARTICLE 5:HOW TO MANAGE YOUR OWN PR

Start Small

Create a press list

Follow reporters

Be current

Start Small

Create a press list

Follow reporters

Be current

Start Small

Create a press list

Follow reporters

Be current

Start Small

Create a press list

Follow reporters

Be current

• If you have given some information to the reporters, gently follow up with them and ask if they need additional information

Follow up, but not too much

• Follow bloggers and comment on their blogsDon’t forget

bloggers

• When possible, create videos about your business and upload them on YouTubeGet on YouTube

• Respond to write ups about your business• If you see wrong information ask to correct itKeep your cool

• Don’t be afraid to reference previous articles about you

• Create a list with all media stories about you• Post them on your website

Show off your clips

bloggers

Show off your clips

bloggers

Show off your clips

bloggers

Show off your clips

bloggers

Show off your clips

I would agree with the points mentioned in the above article. It is correct about the fact that if a business is trying to get an article in the newspaper, it should probably approach smaller newspapers first.

MY OPINION

I would agree with the points mentioned in the above article. It is correct about the fact that if a business is trying to get an article in the newspaper, it should probably approach smaller newspapers first.

I believe that smaller newspapers are more community-oriented and may be willing to write about small businesses in their community in order to support the community where they operate.

MY OPINION

I would disagree, however, that creating a press list or following reporters can help in getting exposure in newspapers. Many reporters have hundreds of people following them, and there is a very small chance that they check every profile that starts following them online.

MY OPINION

I like the idea of trying to stand out because I believe uniqueness can bring attention to a business.

MY OPINION

I like the idea of trying to stand out because I believe uniqueness can bring attention to a business.

Engaging bloggers and uploading videos on YouTube seems like the best option for any business to use. The two tools are free and could definitely bring positive PR to an organization.

MY OPINION

LESSONS LEARNED

After reading those five articles in addition to other literature on the subject, I have noticed that there are some noticeable similarities and differences in the proposed strategies for dealing with bad PR.

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

• It is essential not to respond right away to something that is written about your organization. Stop, think, and evaluate whether it is worth responding to it all.

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

• If a response is required, make sure you do it without showing aggression and provide facts and proofs for your point of view.

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

• Contact the editor or author of the bad PR to correct any inaccuracies.

LESSONS LEARNED

Similarities:

• Contact the editor or author of the bad PR to correct any inaccuracies.

• Maintain a positive PR online by keeping a blog, writing articles and sending press releases to newspapers.

LESSONS LEARNED

Differences:

LESSONS LEARNED

Differences:

• Each situation is unique and requires a special PR management strategy.

LESSONS LEARNED

Differences:

• Unique strategies were proposed for different circumstances. Some strategies focused on how to manage and reply to negative comments about a business. Other articles described strategies for managing long term PR by focusing on ongoing events that continuously contribute to negative PR. Another group of articles examined the management of PR online through search engine optimization to help track negative feedback through trending words.

LESSONS LEARNED

Differences:

• Unique strategies were proposed for different circumstances. Some strategies focused on how to manage and reply to negative comments about a business. Other articles described strategies for managing long term PR by focusing on ongoing events that continuously contribute to negative PR. Another group of articles examined the management of PR online through search engine optimization to help track negative feedback through trending words.

In any case, the management of PR is a challenging task that should be taken seriously by any organization. This is especially true nowadays, when online communities are very influential in contributing to negative PR of an organization in an exponential way. Therefore, managing PR at all times is crucial.

LESSONS LEARNED

@andyjankowski

@crenshawComm

@dhinchcliffe

@jenna_Goudreau

@joelleyden

@robincarey

@terievanswriter

MAJORITY OF ARTICLES WERE OBTAINED BY FOLLOWING THE TWEETER FEED OF

@andyjankowski

@crenshawComm

@dhinchcliffe

@jenna_Goudreau

@joelleyden

@robincarey

@terievanswriter

MAJORITY OF ARTICLES WERE OBTAINED BY FOLLOWING THE TWEETER FEED OF

Admin. (2013, May 3). How does online reputation management work? . Stumbleupon. Retrieved from: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1Z7BZB/www.virtualsocialmedia.com/how-does-online-reputation-management-work/

Admin. (2013, May 13). Online Reputation Management Companies in Chennai India . Chennai Social Media. Retrieved from: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/94UN3D/www.chennaisocialmedia.com/orm-chennai-online-reputation-management-companies-in-chennai-india/

Amy's Baking Company. (2013, May). Yelp. Retrieved from Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/amys-baking-company-scottsdale?sort_by=date_desc

Battersby, M. (2013, February 01). Beyoncé belts out national anthem live before admitting lip synching on US inauguration day. Independent. Retrieved from: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/beyonce-belts-out-national-anthem-live-before-admitting-lip-synching-on-us-inauguration-day-8476782.html

Beyoncé admits Inauguration Day lip sync, says she'll "absolutely be singing live" at Super Bowl . (2013, January 31). CBC/AP. Retrieved from: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57566981/beyonce-admits-inauguration-day-lip-sync-says-shell-absolutely-be-singing-live-at-super-bowl/

Broderick, R. (2013, May 14). This Is The Most Epic Brand Meltdown On Facebook Ever. BuzzFeed Food. Retrieved from http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/this-is-the-most-epic-brand-meltdown-on-facebook-ever

Burgess, T. & J. Shelley (2013,January 26). Was Beyoncé wrong to lip-synch at President Obama's inauguration? . The Guardian. Retrieved from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/26/beyonce-lip-synch-obama-inauguration-debate

Chris. (2013, March 14). How to Combat Bad Press Using Online Reputation Management. iSpionage. Retrieved from: http://blog.ispionage.com/online-reputation-management.html

Cody, S. (2013, February 01). A Lesson in Crisis Communication From Beyoncé. Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/steve-cody/lesson-in-crisis-communications-from-beyonce.html?nav=featured

Crenshaw, D.(2012, November 25). An 8-Step Guide to Managing Negative PR. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225059

Gregory, A. (May 22, 2009). Online Reputation Management: How to Handle Negative Publicity. Sitepoint. Retrieved from: http://www.sitepoint.com/handle-negative-publicity/

ARTICLES USED IN THIS RESEARCH

Handling bad publicity. (2012, August 28). The Marketing Donut. Retrieved from: http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing/pr/handling-bad-publicity

Harris,P.( 2013,January 23).Marine band confirms Beyoncé lip-synched at Obama inauguration. The Guardian. Retrieved from:http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/jan/22/beyonce-obama-inauguration-lip-synch

Joyner, A.& J.J. McCorvey. (2010, May 1). How to Manage Your Own PR. Inc .Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/how-to-manage-your-own-pr.html

Meranus, R.(2013). Managing Bad Press. PR Newswire. Retrieved from: http://www.prnewswire.com/knowledge-center/small-business-pr/Managing-Bad-Press.html

Ng, D. (n.d). How to Handle Bad Press as an Online Community Manager. Dummies. Retrieved from: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-handle-bad-press-as-an-online-community-man.html

Reputation Management PR.(2013). Reputation Management. Retrieved from: http://www.reputationmanagementpr.com/

Thelwell, A. (2013, April 6). Today’s PR is More Than Just a Press Release . Themarketstall. Retrieved from: http://marketstall.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/todays-pr-is-more-than-just-a-press-release/

User: djgabrielpresents, (2013, May 15). Amy's Baking Company Owners: "We Were Hacked!" . YouTube. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdi3LkGHVAw

Welstead, S.(n.d.). 2012 in review - Top 20 PR campaigns and stunts of the year. Growing Business. Retrieved from: http://www.growingbusiness.co.uk/handling-bad-publicity.html

(n.d.). Action List: How to deal with bad publicity. ICAEW. Retrieved from: http://www.icaew.com/en/library/subject-gateways/risk/reputation-management/small-business-update/action-list-how-to-deal-with-bad-publicity

(n.d). Online Reputation Experts. Reputation Management. Retrieved from: http://www.reputationmanagementfor.com/blog/category/about-us/

ARTICLES USED IN THIS RESEARCH

THANK YOU!

management of negative pr online

Technology

publicrelations pr

bad pr management

marine band

american singer beyonc

online discussions

online reviews

hundreds of negative

media releaseabout