Responsibility**
**by Shannon McCarty**
Despite the economic quagmire we're in, consumers' brand expectations
are up - especially when it comes to corporate responsibility. Given
that, marketers should capitalize on these expectations by leveraging
their corporate responsibility initiatives as a means to boost brand
reputation in the search results.
Why you should care
In slower economic periods such as we're experiencing now,
corporations have a responsibility to consumers to set the standards
of conscientious decision-making and giving. And while some
stakeholders may question the benefits of the time and money spent on
corporate responsibility initiatives, consumers and investors view
responsible brands as trustworthy, and are willing to put their money
where their perception is.
In fact, 85% of global consumers still expect companies to maintain
or increase their charitable contributions during recessionary times
(Eric Mower and Associates Cause Marketing and the Economy Poll ).
Today, customers are turning to their trusted brands in hopes that
they will provide a solution - or a helping hand - to the causes they
cannot contribute to themselves (due to lack of time or financial
constraints).
Understanding the value
Today's headlines are rife with economic woes and bleak outlooks. One
way to stand out from the negative headlines is to highlight your
company's corporate responsibility programs, such as community and
environmental initiatives. By promoting such efforts, you can
reinforce positive brand awareness for your organization in the search
engines.
For example, a global B2B software giant promotes success stories
about how their products have helped design sustainable buildings. By
capitalizing on press coverage and viral messaging, the company has
achieved considerable presence in the search results for green
initiatives, and is now perceived to be an industry leader in green
design.
Yet some companies miss the opportunity to effectively leverage their
corporate responsibility initiatives for branding purposes. Financial
institutions are a perfect example. While they have been harshly
criticized for their response to the credit market as customers panic,
many of these same organizations actively participate in social giving
programs through housing assistance and community outreach groups.
However, few people know about their efforts. This is a big missed
opportunity for them.
But capitalizing on your corporate responsibility initiatives can do
more than boost your brand in the search engines; it can also help
with damage control. Given the current media climate - where news
outlets and bloggers jump on the chance to report every hiccup that
can be spun into a global crisis - one bad customer experience can
turn into a CEO's nightmare
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/scavenger/detail?entry_id=43314>
once captured on video and uploaded to YouTube. Given that reality,
marketers can leverage their corporate responsibility initiatives to
mitigate such negative press.
Making it work
Leveraging corporate responsibility initiatives to boost brand
reputation is a smart move. Follow the below seven tips, and you'll be
well on your way to doing exactly that.
Choose relevant causes
If a big-box retailer plants a few trees, it won't make headlines.
However, if this same retailer donates children's clothing to war-torn
nations, people will notice. Stick to social and environmental
programs that make sense for your industry. Understanding your
customer base can be crucial in choosing a cause.
Go Green
Sustainable business practices mean stable growth to consumers and
investors. In today's oil covered headlines, environmental efforts
show visionary leadership and long term strategy rather than short
term gains. Greening your organization - from supply chains and
production lines to the executive row - also conveys confidence in the
future success of the business. Green is now a lifestyle, and
consumers expect this from their trusted brands.
Lend a hand; earn a link
Even when we volunteer for something, we still want to benefit from
it, whether it be self-fulfillment or resume building. Let your
company's benefit come in the form of an external link. Encourage
partner charities and green programs to link back to your company
website. It's a free way for these organizations to thank a key
partner. These same links can also drive additional traffic to your
site.
Lighten up
When other marketing channels go dark, social awareness promotions
can be a cheap way to stay in the news. Issuing a press release to the
wire is not only a low cost publicity tactic, but also an easy way to
increase your branded rankings. In doing so, you give customers an
opportunity to learn about your initiatives as they shop online or
compare customer reviews.
Show off your best assets
Sell green building products? Sponsor animal adoption charities
already? Make sure your website clearly links to these vital programs
and offerings from the homepage. Not only does this help customers
find more information, but it also strengthens internal linking
credibility. Structure promotions and giveaways around green holidays
and social fundraisers.
Give customers and employees a reason to be proud
When corporations demonstrate social and sustainability leadership,
customers are less likely to blog or tweet about negative experiences.
Satisfied clients and employees produce credible testimonials. When
resources are tight, this is an easy way to generate new content and
freshness on-site. In fact, 68% of consumers say that in a recession,
they would remain loyal to a brand if they support a good cause
(Edelman Good Purpose Study).
Tweet and blog
Holding a fundraising event? Invite millions through Facebook events
and watch your brand advocates spread the word. Tweet when new guests
RSVP or activities are planned. Tag pictures of the last sponsored
beach cleanup on Facebook to encourage employees to share with friends
and contacts. Keep the charity events fun for more interest. These
social activities can be a free and easy way to increase organic
rankings.
In an economic environment where accomplishing more with less is an
absolute necessity, marketers need to capitalize on every asset they
have, including corporate responsibility initiatives. Doing so is a
great way to boost your brand reputation in the search results.
However, failing to capitalize on the opportunity is tantamount to
squandering a valuable asset.
Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author, and not
necessarily Search Engine Land.
Shannon McCarty
<http://searchengineland.com/author/shannon-mccarty/>
Shannon McCarty is a Client Services Manager at iProspect
<http://www.iprospect.com>
. She oversees the activities of Search Marketing Specialists and
Search Marketing Analysts responsible for organic search campaigns,
pay-per click campaigns, paid inclusion, and shopping feeds.
<font size="-1">
Upcoming Search Marketing Expo events you won't want to miss:<ul><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.es/smx-saopaulo/2009/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2BSao%2BPaulo%2B2009">SMX
Sao Paulo</a> - August 4</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/east/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2BEast%2B2009">SMX
East - New York City</a> - Oct. 5-7</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/stockholm?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2Bstockholm%2B2009">SMX
Stockholm</a> - Oct. 12-13</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.es/smx-mexico/2009/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2BMexiso%2B2009">SMX
Mexico</a> - November 11</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/west/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2BWest%2B2010">SMX
West - Santa Clara, CA</a> - March 2-4, 2010</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=text&utm_content=footertext&utm_campaign=SMX%2BAdvanced%2B2010">SMX
Advanced - Seattle, WA</a> - June 8-9, 2010</li></ul>Attend a <a
href="http://searchmarketingnow.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=SMN%2Bgeneral">Search
Marketing Now</a> Webcast - it's free! Upcoming webcasts:<ul><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingnow.com">PPC Campaign Automation: Bid
Management, Alerts..the Works</a> - August 4</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingnow.com/">Integrating Mobile Marketing into a
Large-Scale Marketing Campaign</a> - August 12, 2009</li><li><a
href="http://searchmarketingnow.com/webcasts/wc090819">Local Business
Listings: Straight Talk With the Data Providers</a> - August
19</li></ul>Interested in advertising or sponsoring Search Marketing Expo
or Search Marketing Now webcasts? <a
href="http://thirddoormedia.com/contact/sales.shtml?utm_source=searchcap&utm_medium=email&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=General%2BSales">Contact
us</a>.
<div><a href="http://www.superbhosting.net/"><img
src="http://www.searchmarketingnow.com/_images/superb.gif"
border="0"></a></div>
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to a Search Engine
Land, Search Marketing Now or Search Marketing Expo newsletter. To update
your subscriptions or unsubscribe, use your newsletter preferences page at
http://third.thirddoormedia.com/lists/?p=preferences&id=2&uid=f9779113b77d03598707df46ae032f9b.
Or send your written request to: 279 Newtown Tpke., Redding, CT
06896</font>
--
Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com --
0 comments:
Post a Comment