It’s no exaggeration to say that one accusation can bring a company down.
It might be a lie, half-truth, or maybe even a misunderstanding, but how you respond to online claims holds tremendous sway over how your business is perceived. Of course, that can be for better or for worse.
Without an airtight protocol for identifying and addressing these sorts of reputational threats, you risk losing control of the narrative you’d like to communicate. Unless and until you establish a framework of how to handle these situations, you’ll always be on the back foot, putting out fires—instead of advancing your goals and moving your business forward.

Your business should have a “thorough and repeatable” plan for getting ahead of, and responding to, mis- and disinformation narratives. The piece offers crucial questions to consider before you respond, such as:
– Who are the leading voices in spreading the narrative?
– How does that affect the stance your company should take?
– Which audience is most valuable to you in your response? In which media outlets do you need to be most visible?
– Does media intelligence show that you’re sufficiently reaching these audiences and outlets, and if not, how can you change that?