One of the reasons traditional marketers have struggled with how social media fits into their planning is a simple fact: You can’t manufacture reputation in a public forum that is permanently on the record. This is a fundamental aspect of the social media revolution that overturns virtually everything we know about marketing. Let’s look at an example that is not marketing-related but has everything to do with reputation.

A prominent college professor interrupts one of his doctoral students three times during his first major presentation at a prestigious conference, effectively bullying him in public. The professor’s behavior makes many participants angry and/or uncomfortable.

Prior to social media this professor, who is a leading expert in his field, might have pissed some people off but it would probably not have affected his overall professional reputation. This time, however, those angry observers are Twittering their anger in real time. Bloggers who cover his subject matter Retweet and Post about the incident. Others who have been the subjects of this person’s arrogant behavior recount their experiences and the word spreads.

This is where it gets interesting. All of this chatter is on the ‘permanent, public record’, and it is searchable forever. Anyone considering working with this guy is going to Google him and get a sense that he has a reputation for being a cretin. His true reputation is revealed.

This is a true story. The individual, who was a Director of a prominent program in his field, was recently asked to step down. I doubt he has any idea why his reputation has suffered.

Back to marketing. Your brand can be that individual. If there are problems with your product or the way you treat your customers, your brand reputation will be tarnished permanently (unless you address those problems meaningfully and in as close to real time as possible).

Note three things implied in that last paragraph:

• Marketing no longer controls the message
• Product development and quality are integral to marketing (reputation)
  
• Customer experience is integral to marketing (reputation)
  

In social media product development, customer service and communication are inextricably bound up with each other. Companies should no longer run these as separate business functions. The only way to ensure that your brand reputation is respected is to be holistic about every aspect of the public response to your brand and products.