PRSA Digital Impact :SNCR Award-Winning Case Study: "Best Practices for Online Reputation Management"

©2011 Network Solutions, LLC

SNCR Award-Winning Case Study: "Best

Practices for Online Reputation Management"

04/07/23

Shashi Bellamkonda Director Social Media aka Social Media Swami

©2011 Network Solutions, LLC 2Twitter: @shashib

Our Objective: Win Favor from the Public

Customer Objective-Easy to do business with-Quick Resolutions-More purchases

Financial Objective-Save customer service costs-New customers at lower costs

Marketing Objective- Build new audience for Network SolutionsBranding

Objective- Build brand value for Network Solutions


Manage Online Reputation via Offline Events

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyeung808/3851709164/sizes/l/


4 Point Social Media Strategy

Brand / Reputation ManagementConnecting with CustomersCommunity OutreachGet new business


Service Providers Challenge

More than one million viruses wreaking havoc on the internet for both businesses and at-home users alike (Computerworld.com)

Hosting providers faced with security threats that were proactively mitigated, but still posed a threat to the online reputation.

Hosting providers are constantly on alert, combating these threats

Customers voice their discontent on social networks and open online forums

Recognize the need to bolster positive online sentiment beyond reactive crisis mitigation


Think about mitigation

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Source : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeyhun85/4684047177/


Network Solutions Swami’s - 3 Word Mantra

Photo: courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/metrojp/92038203/

LISTENPARTICIPATE

Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/redcarpet/50339009/

CONTRIBUTE

Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/presta/129832836/


Mitigation Tactics

Take steps to proactively foster ongoing positive conversations around the Network Solutions brand

Communicating with customers using social media channels

Answering customer complaints about security issues on Twitter, blogs and public forums

Move fast and respond quickly to customer complaints, by posting updates on their blog and via Twitter and Facebook

Reaching out reporters and bloggers who were covering the issues


Key initiatives to generate favorable brand impressions

Sponsored the Small Business Success Index (SBSI)

The SBSI is a survey and report that assesses the current state of the U.S. small business, positioning Network Solutions as a small business authority and ally.

Hosted the very first GrowSmartBiz conferenceThe first event of its kind in the DC area, Network Solutions hosted the GrowSmartBiz conference in September 2009 to help the small business community to learn first hand from experts in key areas of small business growth and development.

Continue Influencer and Community OutreachConference participation, grassroots events

Social Advisory Board

Communit y Blogs


The Network Solutions Listening Post

Tools

Search

Teams Game Plan

Twitter/ Facebook Customer Service

PR/Social Media response to alerts

Respond to calls for help in forums, blogs, comments

Brickbats and Bouquets

The Network Solutions social media SWAT team worked around the clock, monitoring and responding in real time, and answering user questions across major social networks


Blogs = new audience Organic traffic Link back Guest posts Foster community Conversation Useful for crisis response

Community Building Through Content

Resource tip: http://www.contentrulesbook.com/ Ann Handley & CC Chapman


Guest Posts helps spread the brand


Breaking bread with Customers & Community

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Small Business Success Index

The SBSI is a survey and report that assesses the current state of the U.S. small business, positioning Network Solutions as a small business authority and allySponsored in conjunction with the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the survey offers insight to the future of small businesses, helping them plan for their futures and assess their current needsThe Small Business Success Index (SBSI) was released in February 2010 announcing the state of U.S. small business and its performance in the following six key dimensions:

Capital Access

Marketing & Innovation

Workforce

Customer Service

Computer Technology

Compliance

Network Solutions and CRT/tanaka developed a targeted promotion plan to generate media mentions online


Tweetchats


Maintaining Reputation Amidst Crisis

Created an online forum to provide information to merchants and customers.Generated over 50+ blog posts, which Network Solutions team responded. Applauded by many for use of social media in crisis management support.


Leveraging the Network Solutions Social Media Advisory Board

Advisory Board. Comprised influential bloggers

Advisory Board served as advisors for the company to strengthen Network Solutions image online

Helped spread the word of Network Solutions Small Business efforts

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Influencer Outreach / Brand Efforts

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• GrowSmartBiz Conference and event outreach has helped establish Network Solutions Small Business thought leadership• Only 8% of people we engage in conferences are customers• Customers who attend our conferences/ engage with us have a high per year ticket price• Influencers have stopped talking about us negatively and started liking us• Conferences generate inbound links and inc revenue• 500 small business attended the GrowSmartBiz conference


Did you hear Kathy Klotz-Guest previous speaker say :


We decided to think bigger - GoGranny.co


GoGranny big win with Social Media


Monitoring the competition helps too

©2011 Network Solutions, LLC

Results


Great media coverage

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Network Solutions featured in books


Awards and Peer Recognition

2008 & 2010: Excellence in Online Reputation Management

Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) 2010 Excellence in New Communications Award.

Prestigious awards program honoring corporations that are pioneering the use of social media and Internet communications technologies (ICT).

Award is testament to Network Solutions’ high positive online sentiment from entrepreneurs and small businesses for providing resources and tools to advance their businesses in a tough economy.

2009 & 2011 Washingtonian 100 Tech Titan’s List for Community Leadership

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Social Media Biggest ROI: Online Reputation @ 72% Positive/Neutral

• Network Solutions maintains 72% positive/neutral sentiment

• Negative mentions were mitigated by proactive commenting, especially during the crisis.

• Network Solutions community engagement and social activities generated organic positive mentions.

• Speaking engagements, SBSI-3 and the GrowSmartBusiness conference increased positive mentions.

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Quantitative Results: Small Business Success Index

Press release pick-ups- More than 52 sources picked up the press release within the first week of distribution

Total blog posts/mentions: 65

Podcast interviews- 350 total views

Blogs- Top tier feature coverage included Allbusiness (1.8 million unique monthly visitors)

Mediabistro.com (26.8 thousand unique monthly visitors)

ITBusiness Edge (17.9 thousand unique monthly visitors)

eMarketer (13.3 thousand unique monthly visitors)

Marketing Pilgrim (8.9 thousand UMV)


Results : Network Solutions SBSI tweet chat with Anita Campbell

The GrowSmartBiz URL reached 84,060 people via 32 tweets302 unique visits to the site on the day of the tweet chat February 23, 2010Overall Tweet Chat Results:

More than 1,676 tweets included the #sbbuzz hashtagMore than 200 participants

Top influencers participated including:Moderator: Anita Campbell, 40,000+ followers on TwitterRichard McLaughlin, consultant from Paris, 38,000+ followers on TwitterJohn Lawson of 3rd Power, 18,000+ followers on TwitterMack Collier, #blogchat Founder, 16,000+ followers


GrowSmartBiz Conference Results

More than 400 attendees took a whole day off to join the Network Solutions GrowSmartBiz conference.Livestream- 5,025 unique visitors joined the conference via Livestream. The conference was viewed online by unique visitors from Italy, France, UK, Germany and Canada.Twitter- @GrowSmartBiz Twitter handle following increased by over 250 followers#GrowSmartBiz hashtag mentioned 2,000 times over an eight hour period on the day of the conferenceBlogs- More than 50 feature articles, including 30 pre-event posts and 27 post-event postsInfluential Blogs pick-ups included Mashable, Allbusiness.com, Direct2Dell


Qualitative Results

Then came the GrowSmartBiz conference and by then I realized (yes, it took a while!) – Network Solutions isn’t just a domain registrar. They are a complete resource for small businesses – online and offline.

Jenn Consalvo of Techcocktail

I've just returned from the Grow Smart Biz Conference sponsored by Network Solutions, and while I did play a small role by giving a presentation on what it takes to be an entrepreneurial leader, I learned a lot from the other speakers

Rieva Lesonsky - Allbusiness.com


2011 Activities

Engagement with customersFacebook community buildingExpansion of employee use of SMIncorporating coupons, ads, offers into blogs, tweetchats, webinars and meet-ups and speaking/sponsor opportunities

Thought Leadership/Reputation ManagementBlogs/content generationSBSITweetchatsGrowSmartBiz ConferenceSpeaking/sponsorship opsMeet-up tour (4 to 5 cities)

Ease of use:Monitoring & reportingEguidesWorkshops

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Takeaways

Consistent message across all channels

Clear expression of the mission of being in Social Media

Transparent about expectations

Friendly conversations

Move deeper discussions to “PUT” (Pick up the phone)

©2011 Network Solutions, LLC 34Twitter: @shashib©2011 Network Solutions, LLC 34

• Build relationships early• Changing perception requires participation• Humanizing the business • Approaching people at a personal level to change minds• Build trust and credibility overtime

Final Thoughts


Network Solutions- Enabling Small Businesses Success

Aspiring Entreprene

ur

Aspiring Entreprene

urNew

BusinessNew

Business

Growing BusinessGrowing Business

• Local Search Visibility• SEO• Managed PPC• Press Release• Email Marketing• SMS Marketing

Identity Domain | Email

Presence Profile | Site | Store | Blog

Visibility Local | Directories | Org Search

Marketing Email | Paid Search | Press Release

Security Trust | Encryption | Assurance

Back-Office Apps (SaaS) Financials | Customer | Collaboration

• SSL Certificates• Vulnerability Scans• Assurance Seals

Aspiring Entrepreneur

Starting Small Business

Mature Small Business

©2011 Network Solutions, LLC 36Twitter: @shashib©2011 Network Solutions, LLC 36

Questions

Managing Editor:

http://networksolutions.com/blog

http://networksolutions.com/smallbusiness/

http://WomenGrowBusiness.com

Personal Blogs:

Technology & Social Media: http://www.shashi.name

Digital Thoughts: http://readythoughts.com

Restaurant Reviews: http://www.carryoncurry.com

DC public interest : http://washtrax.us

Interesting PR : http://prelease.blogspot.com/

Shashi Bellamkonda

[email protected]

Follow On Twitter: @shashib