I’m not talking about general negativity or fuzzy situations and company missteps; I’m talking about when someone has posted something categorically false about your company online and you have proof that it is not true. This includes blog posts, youtube videos or any other information that is posted online where there is an option to respond publicly.
This diagram may seem exceedingly obvious but there are far too many companies that just jump into lawsuits or calling the person a liar, it’s like adding gasoline to fire.
Being defensive or hostile from the outset will never frame your company in the best light and antagonizing someone that has shown a willingness to lie is probably not smart.
Here’s my quick and dirty, how to deal with Bullshit.
It’s simple. State your case calmly and respectfully. Back up your story with evidence and link to that evidence. Kindly ask that the post be removed in light of the evidence . Treat the person as if they must be mistaken rather than as if they are hostile and malicious. Every person that views the exchange will see that you are taking the professional approach.
If it doesn’t work, you have to either accept that your proof alongside the content is adequate, or escalate to the next level including litigation.
One more option…
One more thing you can do is bury the post or video by creating positive cotent that ranks for the same terms.
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Any questions?