Something bad has happened to your Business or Brand; something horrible. Either yourself or an employee of yours has damaged your Business' relationship with someone or something. You have fixed it locally and internally, but what about online?
You have implemented a tremendous Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Campaign across all of your online properties. You were ahead of the curve, you listened to your Online Marketing Department, and spent money to go "tech" and embrace the Digital Era. You and/or your Business can easily be found through simple search on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. and now is not the time to be as accessible.
Or is it?
Social Media can be a tremendous tool to correct the missteps of your Company's recent flub. Social Media Channels (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) provide a forum to help ensure your customers that your Business or Brand has accepted it's mistake and is looking to repair the damage done. As long as consumers can find you, and the information you want them to find.
During one of these Business missteps Search Engines actually can actually help. You have a message to share, one that you want to be heard by as many fans, customers and prospective customers as physically possible, and Search Engines are a great tool to help you achieve this goal; as long as you know how to use them.
Bloggers, concerned citizens, watchdogs and others are going to be writing their opinions of what happened; how ever erroneous. Consumers and customers will be looking for the real story. The goal is that they find your version of story and your messaging, before they find the offending content, reviews or any other content that you did not create and for which you have no control over.
You'll be okay though...
Why?
Your Online Marketing Department Had the Foresight to Practice the Following:
Create and Maintain an Established Blog
A targeted Blog that you update and post to frequently is one of the secrets to your SEO success. The higher your Business or Brand's Blog ranks with Search Engines before a misstep, the more opportunities it will present to you when you need a strategic place to publish your FAQ or official response explaining the truth about the situation.
Have Knowledge of Search Engines
True SEO can be quite overwhelming and at times highly confusing. If your Business or Brand's blog is not ranking the way you want to be or should be, then it is my recommendation that your should do a little Google search and find some white hat techniques that will help raise your rankings. Again, better SEO will help you get proper information out in a time of peril.
Embrace Google+
Google+ may be receiving a bad wrap from Social Users, but it can actually be a very useful tool for Businesses and Brands. For one, it helps your Google Search rankings by being more active on the service. By being present and active, and by having many people in your circles and vice-versa, you'll be gaining a strategic edge to the SEO game - as well as the many other benefits that come along with building a valuable network on social media.
Because your Online Marketing Department was given the opportunity to formulate a comprehensive and complete SEO Campaign, your Business or Brand is in prime position to respond with accurate information to the near-disaster that faced your firm.
Now with the help of professional Social Media Management and Customer Service Response the problem should be addressed and solved through the proper channels; the way you want.