One swallow doesn’t make a summer

So you've decided to monitor Twitter, Facebook and blogs as your first step into understanding your cusotmers' use of social media.

But if you wield social media in your work (as well as your play), they you should understand that one negative Tweet doesn’t make a brand backlash. Yup, that's right... one bad review or blog posting doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop what you're doing and do something else.

As Hotel Blogs author Guillaume Thevenot posted just today:

Apart of responding to the consumer opinion through the platform, there is nothing to be done. Unless you think there is some genuine improvement to be made to your product, service delivery, there is absolutely nothing you can do about people giving their own opinion and share this with the world.

Amen! By all means listen to what has been written and challenge any inaccuracies (correctly and with understanding, of course), but one bad comment is exactly that.... just one.

Take for example the new River Island website that I've recently project managed through to implementation. Only yesterday a Facebook group was set up called “Change The River Island Website Back” that up until now has amassed just 10 fans/likes so far .. .. Yes more are bound to sign-up, but its hardly a groundswell of dissent now is it?. For me it is actually a sign of brand familiarity and attachment when the occasional person voices their negative view.

Obviously if the complaints grown or a trend reveals itself over time you need to take action. But always bear in mind (especially if you've done your user experience work correctly in the first place) that there will be plenty of satisfied vistors & customers who show their positive response... not by tweeting their approval, but but returning back to your site and continuing to give you their trade.