To Blog or not to Blog

Company blogs, another staple of social media, keenly illustrate the triumph of new-age wisdom over conventional business practice and the demand for integrity and openness. Old-age business practice would state that any negative comment left on a company’s blog space is harmful and that deleting such feedback will prevent further damage.

In all reality the sheer presence of negative feedback on a company’s website delivers the transparency and integrity that consumers demand today. Better yet, responding to such feedback and fixing the problem gives the company even more affinity.

Equally important is wielding such social media expertise on the development of a company’s image on other websites: Ben Worthen, in "How Can a Company Protect Its Reputation on Websites?" points out that is better to “confront accusations head on”.

A company should respond on the site explaining how they will fix the problem and above all a company should never ignore false rumors. Addressing such a rumor ASAP is the key to curbing the amplification of negative information on other social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Ultimately, all the suggestions mentioned above illustrate how companies can benefit, and indirectly profit from the use of social media. There is much more to a given business’s success than the bottom line. Sustainability, growth, market-share, customer satisfaction can all be influenced by social media.