Social Media & Influencer Marketing

Always Bring the Fight Home

Had a fantastic meeting with an agency here in Indianapolis who’s working to ensure their client has a solid corporate blogging strategy. They’re off to a great start and we spoke a lot about controversy and blogging. The particular blog they’re putting up discusses a subject that could draw criticism from those with opposing views.

I’ve watched several companies react to negative criticism by trying to reasonably defend or discuss their position on the opposing blog. Bad strategy. When you come to my blog to defend your position, you’re not simply debating me, you’re going to find yourself debating an army of like-minded followers who read my blog regularly.

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Often, when a controversy starts on my blog, I’ll just settle in and wait. Typically, readers will come to my rescue and rip the person to shreds. This is what happens when you are provoked into taking the battle to the opposing team’s property. You’re not simply arguing with the blogger – you’re arguing with the network behind the blog. And as you argue, the attention increases… the social engagement grows, search increases and you find this opposing post on the results for your company.

Always bring the fight home. If a blogger writes about you or your business negatively, utilize your blog to respond. You need not even mention them… but a link back to their post will typically get their attention so that they see your response. Hopefully, they’ll come back to your blog and comment. Perhaps they know better! You should know better, too.

The only thing worse than a company responding directly on the opposition’s blog is not responding at all. In new media, no response is equated with hubris and a lack of authenticity. A blogger who doesn’t respond to constructive criticism is often dismissed as a fake… they’re not around to be transparent but only to promote themselves. Their company and their corporate blog lose credibility and readership.

Always bring the fight home!

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Douglas Karr

Douglas Karr is a fractional Chief Marketing Officer specializing in SaaS and AI companies, where he helps scale marketing operations, drive demand generation, and implement AI-powered strategies. He is the founder and publisher of Martech Zone, a leading publication in marketing technology, and a trusted advisor to startups and enterprises alike. With a track record spanning more than $5 billion in MarTech acquisitions and investments, Douglas has led go-to-market strategy, brand positioning, and digital transformation initiatives for companies ranging from early-stage startups to global tech leaders like Dell, GoDaddy, Salesforce, Oracle, and Adobe. A published author of Corporate Blogging for Dummies and contributor to The Better Business Book, Douglas is also a recognized speaker, curriculum developer, and Forbes contributor. A U.S. Navy veteran, he combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution to help organizations achieve measurable growth.
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