WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (1)

“Essential reading not only for those involved in corporate PR, but for any manager or director who cares about their organisation.”Michael Woodford MBE, Former CEO, Olympus Corporation, and Whistleblower

“Readable and wise. Managing Online Reputation is the Art of Reputation for the digital age.”Keith Schilling, Chairman, Schillings

“A ‘must-read’ for any business leader concerned with the critical issue of corporate reputation.”Stephen Thomas, Group Head of Corporate Communications, AIA Group

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“Cuts through the digital and social hype to provide compelling and incisive insights into the risks of the social web. Sets out a no-nonsense, jargon free and practical playbook for dealing with online attacks.” Matthew Stafford, Cabinet Secretary, Government of Australia

“A survival guide for communications and PR practitioners navigating their way through today’s tumultuous landscape. ”May Wong, General Manager, Corporate Relations, MTR Corporation

“Provides provocative and practical strategies to mitigate online reputational risks. Does more than any other book on the market to clarify the issues and shine a light on the ways forward.”Leesa Soloudre, Managing Partner, RL Expert Group and Research Fellow, TIAS School for Business and Society

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (2)

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WHAT PROMPTED MOR

• A multitude of embarrassing and damaging episodes caused by peeved customers, aggrieved employees, malicious competitors, frustrated activist groups, disenfranchised local communities, devious hackers, bored trolls and recalcitrant algorithms on companies, institutions and individuals

• Organisations with inadequate defences burying their heads or mismanaging their responses when the heat is on

• Plenty of anxious clients and prospects unsure how best to protect and defend themselves online

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WHAT MOR SETS OUT TO ANSWER

• How and why corporate reputations come unstuck in social media

• The most effective ways of minimising the risks of social media

• How to respond effectively to known issues, sudden negative incidents and full-scale crises using the social web

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WHAT MOR DRAWS ON

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• In-depth interviews with experts in media and IP law, digital forensics, IT security, disaster emergency response, crisis management, NGO activism, search engine marketing, Wikipedia and other areas

• Proprietary analysis of online reputation threats and incidents

• Extensive desktop research

• Over twenty year’s experience advising companies, governments and individuals on their communications and reputation, including a decade focused on social media

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WHAT MOR DELIVERS

• Analysis of common risks in social media, a framework for categorisation, and guidance on how to identify and assess risks

• Practical advice on how to minimise social media threats, including a step-by-step guide to developing a Social Media Crisis Plan

• Tried and tested criteria and considerations for formulating responses to different types of online threats

• Case studies detailing how Applebee’s, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, ING Bank, Tesla and other companies responded to common serious negative incidents using social media

• Analysis of how BP, Buffer, Dell, Malaysia Airlines, Shell, and the US Nuclear Energy Institute used social media to respond to and recover from major crises

• Guidance on how to use crowdsourcing and search engines to repair online reputation.

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SEVEN LEARNINGS

1. Almost everything is now reputational2. Most online threats are knowable and manageable3. Despite technology and data, online reputation defence is

more art than science4. Many classic PR, legal and IT defences are ineffective or

inappropriate online5. A must-have for incident and crisis response, social media

is more effective for rebuilding and recovery6. Transparency, authenticity and ethics are not absolutes,

and depend on local context7. Online reputation is neither mirror of, nor panacea for, offline reputation

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SEVEN PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Conduct an Online Vulnerability Audit2. Create/update your Crisis Plan3. Develop a corporate Transparency Strategy4. (Re)-design your Reputation Management System5. Get leadership involved early and updated regularly 6. Close the gaps between Communications, Legal,

Risk Management, HR, IT and other departments7. Make sure your defences are relevant and fit for

purpose, and train your foot soldiers rigorously.

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TYPES OF ONLINE THREATS

STRATEGIC SOCIETAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

OPERATIONALLEGAL

BEHAVIOURAL FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGICAL

© CPC & Associates

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEGATIVE SITUATIONS

© CPC & Associates

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-

SE

VERI

TY

+

- LONGEVITY +

INCIDENT CRISIS

PROBLEM ISSUE

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Each incident requires the use of two – or more – response levers, depending on the nature of the threat and its potential impact on your business and reputation.

BUSINESS

FORMULATING THE RIGHT RESPONSE

TECHNOLOGICAL

LEGAL

COMMS

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ASSESSING ESCALATING ONLINE THREATS

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE

TONEVISIBILITY

VIRALITY INFLUENCE

MOTIVATION

VALIDITY

RELATIONSHIPS

CONTEXT

IMPACT ON BUSINESS & REPUTATION

© CPC & Associatescharliepownall.com

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SOME ONLINE RESPONSE OPTIONS

© CPC & Associates

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REMOVE MINIMISE

RECTIFY

HIDEBLOCK

SUPPRESS RETRACT RE-FRAME

AFFIRM EXPLAIN DENY

LEAVE

LITIGATE

DEFLECTNEGOTIATE

SHARE

ARBITRATE

UNDERMINE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charlie Pownall draws on over twenty years’ experience in public relations, government communications, political and issue advocacy, digital marketing and social media to advise companies, governments and individuals how to protect, manage and defend their reputations. He is a regular commentator and speaker at conferences, business schools and universities.

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ORDER YOUR COPY

Managing Online Reputation is now available online and in good bookstores across the world. Discounts are available for bulk buys. For further information, contact cp@charliepownall.com

Publisher: Palgrave MacmillanFormat: Paperback, e-bookISBN: 9781137382290US: $24.00, UK & RoW: £14.99

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