Open Access: What Tunisia, Egypt, WikiLeaks and the Age of Modern Communication

Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin” may be a classic, but the song’s sentiment still says a lot about our world today.

Fueled by dissatisfaction and powered by the Internet, the Tunisian government changed hands in the bat of an eye and moved Egypt toward new leadership. Driven by digital democratization and individual empowerment, WikiLeaks continues to publish dialogue and directives which governments and companies don’t want disclosed. In this age of open access and network effect, there is very little that established organizations can do to stop this flow of information.

As marketing communication leaders, chief marketers can improve their organization’s odds for success by not only accepting this reality but also by better planning and preparing for it. Here are four guidelines for living in the age of Internet democracy (some might call it anarchy) and transparency.

1. Embrace both friends and foes.

While every brand wants to stoke the flames of its biggest fans, it is equally important to connect with your detractors to learn more about their experiences and issues. More than ever, those who are dissatisfied will share their opinions with their social circles. They will be vocal and will be heard across Facebook, Twitter, email and text messages. Engage this group in continuous dialogue, factoring their concerns into your strategies and plans and specifically addressing solvable problems as they arise.

2. Don’t publish or write anything you wouldn’t want the world to see.

We all leave digital footprints every day and they cannot be erased. They will be found and used in the court of public opinion (as well as the court of law). This is a simple message that should guide the things your organization writes about everyday; your target audience, your brand, your competition and your future plans. By following this simple rule, you won’t have to worry about the breaking WikiLeaks that could include your brand.

3. Understand your brand’s digital communications ecosystem.

For your brand in your category, understand fully how your audience connects and the role of search, mobile, social, video and other channels in engagement, purchase, usage and the feedback process. Once pinned down, create a strategic communications framework that is always on, two way and scalable.

4. Have contingency plans.

The old adage “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” never seemed more relevant than it does today. Every company should have ready for release a rapid response plan to address digital discord and dialogue. The foundation should be a paid and natural search plan that offers the clear arguments and points of view that you want the public at large to find on the search engine results page (SERP) should negative news bubble up. The SERP continues to be the first place most consumers go to find out more.

Michael Kahn ([email protected]) is senior vice president of client services at Performics and a monthly contributor to Chief Marketer.