Different CGM impacts corporate communications

One of the things that is often difficult for companies to get a handle on is the breadth of consumer generated material that impacts on corporate reputation. An understanding of this is critical for companies to respond effectively. Many see blogs as simply another channel for customer complaints, others dismiss them as simply repeating news and views already in the mainstream media. Both of these are true, but there are other types, and they all matter and require response:

Personal experiences Relaying news beyond usual channels Expressing influential opinions Incitement to activism Raising new issues and concerns Reflecting reputation Responding to events

The personal experiences of customers (good or bad) provide any company with valuable intelligence as to how they are doing. Most companies are prepared to spend a fortune of market research, focus groups, and so on, but personal blogs of customers, employees and other stakeholders, provide insights often tempered in other research channels. Monitoring personal blogs provides a company with the opportunity to listen – unmoderated, unfiltered, and in real-time.

Yes, much of what is found on personal blogs, is newsfeed generated, but just because it has already been in The Times doesn't mean that it doesn't matter anymore. The manner in which blogs relay information to new channels is very significant because of the speed, reach and depth of the web. If a company issues a press release, it will be faithfully reported in the next issue of the mainstream media (daily, weekly or monthly). Bloggers will have it within minutes, and it spreads virally to others, typically reaching an audience that is quite distinct and often bigger, from the newspaper reading. More importantly, this information will quickly surface in special interest blogs that a general mainstream PR campaign could to hope to reach.

Of the millions of blogs and personal websites out there most are probably only read by a small circle of friends and aficionados of the blogger. Whilst the reach is small, the influence, particularly when reporting a bad experience, will be felt among that group. No-one in communications can afford to under-estimate the impact of word-of-mouth on reputation. Many blogs are indeed more widely read than mainstream media, and have the stature and influence that goes with it. For me, however, the most significant way in which bloggers are exerting their influence is within the special interest Forums and Groups. If I am deciding what new car to buy, I am just as likely to solicit the opinions of other members of my Golfing forum, as I am to read "What Car". Why? because I trust the opinions of my fellow golfers.

And then there are the activists. The web provides an ideal mechanism for single-issue pressure groups to disseminate information, and calls for action. Whether it is Greenpeace calling for a boycott of a supermarket, animal rights activists demanding violent action against a mobile phone company, or simply a parent campaigning for better school dinners, companies cannot afford to wait until an activist campaign is underway (or worse, reported in the mainstream media) before responding.

Individual stakeholders are using the web, their blogs, their websites, discussion forums, news groups and so on, to raise new issues and concerns. This is where corporate communications professionals really have to change their game. The loss of control over the messaging (http://uknetmonitor.blogspot.com/2006/05/web-20-an... is replaced by a conversation going on around them. This can be listened to, or engaged with, but not ignored.

Ultimately, any company that claims to be customer-centric and then puts the opinions of mainstream journalists above those of its customers is going to have a rather distorted understanding of its corporate reputation. Any company that waits until an issue surfaces in the press before acting, will be behind the reputation curve.