I went to a local AMA Luncheon today where Aaron Kopel, President and CEO of Vyante gave a great presentation about Online Perception and Trends.His presentation about monitoring and tracking online presence really hit home and made me wonder... do I really know what's being said about Compendium Blogware? And, how the heck do I find this information out.
Well, there are a number of companies such a Vyante that sell software that enables you to track online commentary and trends. But there are also some free tools, if such a purchase doesn't fit your immediate budget.
1.) Google Alerts. Visit http://www.google.com/alerts and sign up to receive notice when your company is mentioned in Google search.
2.) Perform ad hoc searches in Google, Yahoo and MSN. Spending a half an hour once a week searching for various forms of your company name is another great way to keep tabs.
As important about how you track your online presence is how you respond to the chatter on the web. That's where a blog can be your best friend and one of the best ways to respond to comments on the web. My only advice would be don't start a blog as a short term solution to online reputation management... a blog should be considered a long term strategy. So, find a blog software that fits your needs longterm and can be updated often and with ease.
Being proactive and having tools to track comments on the web and having the appropriate resources to respond to these comments are essential measures in an era where there is so much user generated content. If you haven't already, sign up for Google alerts and just take a gander at what's being said about your company. It might surprise you.
