Beware the Blog?

Here is another short but persuasive article cautioning against being too bullish with your companies social media initiatives.  With all the exuberance surrounding Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other tools, it is often forgotten just how tenuous a customer-company relationship can be.  The one thing I always ask myself when considering a company's social strategy is "can they weather the criticism"? This is both from a brand strength perspective, and the executive or proprietor's comfort level.  Often times online retail distribution models such as Newegg.com thrive on customer comments as it allows for information sharing and customer review.  But their brand is also not on the line, the electronics brands are. Coincidentally, many brands on this site and others have targeted response strategies to consumer complaints that appear in the Newegg comments. However, a single, younger brand may not be able to withstand the criticism as potential consumers look for advice before taking a plunge into the unkown.  Before opening the pipeline, make sure to ask the simple question, "are we really ready?"