Blog rebuttal unit? You're asking for trouble!

I used the rare opportunity earlier this week while travelling on the train into London not to switch the laptop on (I did that on the way back to start writing this post) but instead to read last week’s issue of PR Week. It goes without saying that the word ‘blogosphere’ plastered on the front page aroused my interest. Interest, that is, and concern.

Now, it could well be the case that it’s all in the way it’s reported, and if that’s the case then perhaps PR Week need to develop their understanding of how social media is changing the way in which we must got about PR, but I couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath and inkling of disgust at the news that ‘the Labour Party is exploring plans for an online rapid rebuttal unit, designed to kill off damaging stories circulating in the blogosphere’. Rebuttal unit! Kill off! What kind of PR is this? Certainly not the kind that is conducive to successful engagement with bloggers.

I’m sensing the bloggers reactions now. The thing about the ‘blogosphere’ is that you can’t just kill stories off. This is the world of social media and communities and if a PR person steps in and makes any attempt at trying to ‘kill off’ a community contribution, then out roar will follow.

PR Week’s comparison of this new unit to ‘Labour’s famous Excalibur unit, which was successfully used to kill negative stories by Tory-supporting newspapers in the run-up to the 1997 general election’ verges on the absurd. The way in which we approach the press and approach bloggers and other online communities is not one and the same thing. The PR industry needs to know this otherwise negative stories in the blogosphere could be made even worse by PR intervention. I expect that Derek Draper, the former lobbyist allegedly appointed to lead on this initiative, already knows this, but here are a few thoughts on how they should approach negative online stories as a starter for ten:

• Be proactive, not reactive. If a political party wants a positive online image then engaging with online communities at an early stage is key. Become part of those communities and have online dialogue with them on an ongoing basis, don’t just ‘pop up’ when something negative is said.

• If ‘reacting’ to something said online, do so through a key figure in the party and not just through a spokesperson. Make sure that you are seen to engage in the conversation and not simply try to ‘rebut’ what is being said.

• Be human and personable in your responses and approach, not simply tolling the party line.

• Never EVER send a blogger a blanket press release. The nature of blogging is for people to write about what they want to write, not what you want them to write.

• Do your research with bloggers. Actually read their work and try to understand them before making any approach. Don't presume you understand them from reading one or two posts.

• Be wary of trying to ‘bribe’ bloggers with gifts and free lunches. Serious bloggers are sceptical people and probably more likely to expose your tricks to sway them towards your message, than actually write what you want them to write.

• Produce social media guidelines for party members. If any of them are prolific bloggers themselves, or engaging with online social communities, then you need to make sure they’re not saying anything or behaving in any way online that is likely to send out a negative message about the party. This doesn’t mean telling them what to say, but instead guides their behaviour online to make sure they’re not overly reactive to negative stories, potentially making the situation worse.