We all understand the importance of leveraging social media for business as it is a great way to engage consumers, build a relationship with these consumers, as well as generate free marketing/advertising/brand promotion. However, it is important to note that social media is a double-edge sword. As it can generate positive buzz for your company, it can do some damage as well.  This recent article details buzz some companies have garnered recently online.

This article gives 3 case studies in which companies responded to social media attacks. Key take aways from this article are:

• Be prepared to address social media attacks
• Monitor your online presence and respond to problems and concerns immediately
• To maintain integrity, be honest and transparent
• Listen to what your customers have to say

These same rules can be applied to consumer reviews on yelp.com, etc. Consumers really care about what other people have to say about a business, and businesses should care about what people are saying about them. Addressing concerns openly and honestly as soon as they arise is not only beneficial but vital to a business’ reputation and its success.

-Kristina Zhao