A Silver Lining on "YourCompanySucks.com"

“There should be someone at every company whose job is to put into Google and blog search engines the name of the company or the brand, followed by the word ‘sucks,’ just to see what customers are saying.”– Jeff Jarvis, author of the blog BuzzMachine, and president and creative director of newspaper publisher Advance Publications' Internet Division, as quoted in Fortune, January 10, 2005

Almost everyone has seen or heard of a "YourCompanySucks.com" website. In these sites people just add "sucks.com" to a company name and it becomes an open forum for anyone to comment about the company. This is becoming a major issue in e-marketing for any company that has any success whatsoever. Negative information on these sites can seriously damage a firm's reputation and everyone is vulnerable. So, e-marketers need to ask themselves, "What should be done if your company is a victim of one of these "(name of company)sucks.com" sites?"

Sue
Many people's first idea is to take legal action, but there are several negative consequences that come from this. Unless the content is outright libelous or defamatory you may not even have the option to sue. Other negatives include legal fees and "fallout" if the makers of the website draw media attention. This may look bad on the company because some may see it as assuming guilt and that the information on the site is true. An easier alternative may simply be a letter from your attorney. This can often scare the creators of the site. However, they probably have a serious problem with the company if they go through the trouble of creating the site so this tactic may not be effective.

Strike a Deal
Sometimes it may be possible to buy the website from its creator. Often firms do this but then keep the site active without all the negative information and links to the companies website. However, this doesn't guarantee that the creator of the site won't just make another website under a different name.

Pay Attention
Be aware of your company's online presence and keep track of negative websites.

Take heart. There is a positive side. You’re not alone.
Your company isn't the only one being criticized in open forums on the Internet. It is just a part of living in a free society. It's likely that your closest competitor has a sucks.com site too.

Give your clients credit.
Most clients of a big company assume that somewhere in the world someone is speaking ill of you. A sucks.com site is one of many sources a client will use to generated an impression of your company. A lawsuit or online lashing that deals directly with their business are factors that would affect the company more significantly than gossip on one of these sites.

The bad sites are easily dismissed (by you and by current/prospective clients).
Many of these sites simply feature schoolyard gossip which clients don't consider credible. Unless the website has an edge on the rest, like something truly insightful or credible, many will pass it off as common knowledge. Even worse, it's probably considered knowledge with an agenda.

The good sites are educational.
This can be one of a company's most valuable resources and is unavailable with ordinary marketing techniques. It is much easier and less expensive than conducting any type of survey. This gives the marketer the ability to get inside the uncensored minds of its critics. If you use your company's sucks.com site as an opportunity to learn and grow then it's not all bad. Add this site to your favorite places and visit it regularly to get a better understanding of your company's presence on the Net. Leverage the insight of your sharpest critic and make him your strongest ally. The site won't give a balanced opinion of the firm but most of those claims probably aren't completely baseless. These are issues that likely need to be addressed.

The best way to deal with a sucks.com site varies in different industries and with different companies. However, your firm should have the resources and capabilities to resolve the issue. There are several options to choose from in doing so. If not, your company probably has bigger problems than a particular sucks.com website.