Being Smeared By A Competitor? How To Fight Back

The truth is, the more successful your company is, the bigger target you make for competitors desperate to get a leg up.

And, in the age of the Internet, it’s easier than ever for a competitor to open an account on Angie’s List or Yelp and lambast these high-ranking sites with negative feedback about your company. These smear campaigns can catch on like wildfire if you don’t nip them in the bud ASAP. Here’s how:

1. Make certain it is not a real person truly unhappy with your business. Look for claims that don’t mesh with how you run your business. If it is a real customer, don’t be afraid to contact them via the site they’re posting to and ask how you can make it right.

2. Use SEO to beef up your site and ensure that your own Web site will come up in a Google search for your company instead of the review or blog sites.

3. Comment as yourself (do not pretend to be a satisfied customer) to explain the situation or tout the positives (remember to be professional and do not get defensive—if that means waiting a day to respond, so be it).

4. If the negative feedback borders on harassment, consider legal action as your last resort—keeping in mind that it’s a lengthy and expensive process.

Source:

OPEN Forum by American Express: How To Deal With Online Smear Campaigns From Your Competitors

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