Rebecca Lieb from ClickZ is the moderator.
Rob Key from Converseon is up first.
Search impact on brand repuation: - 92% of journalists use search engines to research stories - missed other points...
- How you are being defined is often in the hands of 3rd parties - He shows a search on splenda (which reminds me I covered this session before) - High Rankings Does Not Necessarily Equal Greater Credibility - There is about 16,000 "detractor sites" that are anti product or services information. - He shows several examples of searches on brand names with "detractor sites" in the SERPs. - The Reputation Conversation; you have "enterprise generated content", "mainstream media" and "Consumer generated content" - EGM, MSM, Social Media, Blogs, Reputation Aggregators, Constituencies - He shows an example of a "reputation attack" in action. Where four of the top 10 results were negative listings - So they changed their name but then a blog blogged it and it didn't help. :) - A brand is an "experience that creates an impression" - Brand and product reputation is clearly a discussion that creates a perception
So what do you do? - Litigation - They recommend Search Engine Reputation Management - You need to understand your most aggressive detractors are and who can help you. - Then you should create a "SERP Visibility Map" bucket the top 10 listings in buckets of good and bad - Then you need to map the conversation (competitors/detractors, early adopters/envangelists, and the core). - Develop a Five Point Strategy from Findings -- Minimize detractors -- Engage via optimized EGC -- Mobilize programs to generate CGM -- Continue to mind the conversation
- Manage your shelf space; dont think about optimizing your site, but optimizing your communication - Become a content company; be authentic, take points of view on important industry events, lead the conversation, consider podcasts and videos, and so on. - Help inspire positive consumer generated media (like Apple) - He then shows the pontiac search
Robert Garner from Agency.com - Why should you be concerned? -- Search engine shenanigans (content theft, typo abuse) -- There is a bounty on your brand terms (engines and affiliate programs provide this incentive)
SEO Techniques: - Content Theft - Site Scraping - Typo Jacking
Resolution: - File a spam report with the engines - Contact the site owner and ask to remove content - Review options with a legal consultation
- Cast Study - Federal Trademark Infringement Case
Domain Registrations - Domain aggregators; some have stockpiled 100,000s of domains - Aggregators partner with search engines - Engines run search network ads on domain networks - Engines and domain aggregators split text ad fee revenues - Some estimate Yahoo brings in 15% of its YSM income from domain based search ads - Trademark issues with this, since many advertisers are unknowingly placed on competitors trademarks - Relevancy issues; some publishers have control of which ads appear on landing pages and they don't always choose the most appropriate ads
Best Defense: - Research all variations of your brand terms - Compare terms against .com domain names in whois - Acquire domain names, register them if not taken, buy from registrant, catch a drop (snapnames), cease and desist, arbitration (uniform dispute resolution policy)
Nan Dawkins from Red Boots Consulting who will be focusing on blogs. - Blogs are huge - 30% of all internet users are visiting blogs - 77% think blogs are good way to get info - 33% of journalists say they use blogs to uncover breaking news
Blogs and CGM - 44% of internet users create content but blogs are 14% of that pie, forums are 83% - If they aren't the biggest source, then why worry about it? - Blogs are highly visible across multiple search scandals - Blogs dominate the SERPs on "brand + [negative keywords]" - Blogs are the voice of long term consistent voices - Blogs can develop a following very quickly - Bloggers create CGM across multiple channels - Journalists follow blogs -- 51% said they use blogs regularly -- The main stream media is using blogger terms - Step 1: Listen and Monitor what bloggers are saying about you -- There are tools to help you with this, discussed in a different session "Blogs, CGM and Buzz" yesterday -- Monitoring what is visible in search engines --- Bloggers can gain influence quickly --- Pay attention to comments --- Spam can skew results - Step 2: Engage -- 50% of bloggers write about companies once per week -- Only 21% report regular contact from companies -- Only 2% say they dont want contact -- Personalized emails work best -- Develop a trust based relationship with bloggers -- Enage bloggers for feedback (my personal thoughts - Yahoo is great with this, from personal experience)
Andy Beal from Fortune Interactive - He said he had a horrible experience with American Airlines flying to JFK and in about a month, search on it. people laughed... - Blog Tracking Tips: -- Feedster.com -- Technorati.com -- IceRocket.com -- Google.com/blogsearch -- BlogPulse.com -- RSS Readers (newsgator, bloglines and pluck), create customized RSS searches in these readers - What to Track -- Company names -- Employee names -- Names use by your competitors (all variations, key executives and product/service names) -- Monitor RTSS of industry related sites and news feeds - News and Web alerts -- Google Alerts and Yahoo Alerts -- Same deal as RSS but via email -- Watch for competition's press releases -- Look for plagiarized content (Google news shows you also web pages and not just news) - Tracking the Un-trackable -- Copernic has a tool -- aignes.com and watchthatpage.com -- He shows screen captures - Where to use this? -- Every page of your competitors site or important pages -- BBB -- Alexa -- Forums -- RipOffReport.com -- Any industry news site that doesn't have email alerts or RSS - Laying Forum Foundation -- Identify the most pipular forums for your industry forumfind.com and boardtracker.com -- Task someone to join and participate in forums, its best to do this now then later on -- Consider sponsoring most influential forums and with blogs -- Build alliances and partnerships with the most vocal members in the forums (mods, most posts, reputation levels, etc.) - Responding to Criticism -- Monitor your RSS feeds and email alerts hourly and act asap -- Identify the author of the blog, owner of the forum, editor of the site, use whois, or read the profile of the author -- Read author's pervious work -- Understand the threat level (how well respected, audience reach, etc.) - Tactics for Blogs -- If a entry is factually incorrect, send the blogger evidence, ask for removal or retraction of the entry, offer to keep them informed of future news, and only if no action by blog author add a comment -- If true but negative, send your side of the story and add a comment to the post and try your best to take it offline - Will it Accomplish Anything? -- 94% will remove, editor add information - Tactics for Forums -- Investigate facts internally before deciding action -- Offer to resolve any complaints personally -- Be honest -- Take conversation offline -- Rally friends and peers online - Balancing Negative CGM
SES NYC Tag: sesny2006
