The Intersection of Online and Offline

I’ve been having more fun writing about the basic precepts of what I think are a sound online reputation management program. Latest article for Media Bullseye is here, but I can’t tell you how many times it is the rule and NOT the exception that public relations agencies gather clips, paste them into a Word document and call it “media monitoring.”

BARF!

The above is an accurate description of what they are doing; regurgitating clips with zero analysis. For example, rather than having an intern just cutting and pasting clips in a Word document, organizations that take their online reputations seriously should be thinking things like:

• What is the reach and impact of the items I have found (including print, blogs, tweets, attack sites, TV, radio and more)?;
• Can I collect as many items as possible in one place so I have a 40,000 view of my organization, its executives or our issues? What system can give this to me? Hint: Factiva plus Google alerts ain’t it.
• What opportunities or threats are presented from the coverage found?
• Has there been significant change in stakeholders, article tone or volume of coverage?
• If it is bad, what can I do about it? If it is good, how can I capitalize on it?

There’s a lot more to say, but I continue to be astounded at the immaturity of this field. Political campaigns do it well, but hardly anyone else.

Mark