Protecting Brands and Reputations Online

Online social media have become as important as traditional media and face-to-face conversations in shaping and transforming brands and reputations.  Indeed, research shows twice as many consumers looking online for opinions as to family and friends, though not all with the same degrees of trust or credibility.



The starting point for analysing reputation is:   Whose opinion matters?  What do you need to know? and What do you want to do with what you find out? 

Do you see Web 2.0 / social media (rightly) as an unmoderated and free focus group, with a huge mix of good, bad and indifferent comment and exchange? 
Do you see it (rightly) as a growing source of influence and influencers who are important to track?
Do you see it (rightly) as a measure of your own success in aligning with shared values, interests, approaches? Do you see it (rightly) as a possible indicator of future risks and opportunities? 

Whatever is key to you will determine what kind of research is going to be most appropriate and useful. Admittedly the growth and change of Web 2.0 is so complex and quick that defining it conclusively is like ‘nailing jelly to the wall’.  But it is possible to find constants even in this fast-moving environment.