Effectively Aggregating User-Generated Content: A Critical Step in Managing 21st Century Brands

Transcription

1 w h i t e pa p e r Effectively Aggregating User-Generated Content: A Critical Step in Managing 21st Century Brands

2 w h i t e pa p e r Co n t e n t s + Executive Summary 3 + An Information Revolution 3 + Choosing a Content Aggregation Solution 5

3 Effectively Aggregating User-Generated Content: A Critical Step in Managing 21st Century Brands + Executive Summary To effectively protect and maintain their brands, enterprises must be aware of precisely what is being said about them at all times. Recently, it has been enough to merely review data from traditional information outlets, such as syndicated news feeds, and rely on them for competitive research and insight into what consumers are thinking. Over the past five years, however, user generated content (UGC), such as blogs and podcasts, has gained a significant stake in public mindshare, and is an increasingly significant way for consumers to voice their opinions and, more often than not, criticisms. As a result, enterprises need to expand their content aggregation solutions to include comprehensive UGC coverage. However, it is not enough to simply aggregate UGC; organizations need to aggregate such content so as to derive the maximum value from the data. This paper will examine the features and benefits of various aggregation strategies, and offer guidance on the most effective approach. + An Information Revolution In the fast-paced digital environment of the 21st century, information travels across the globe instantaneously and people around the world learn of international events as they occur. For organizations with an interest in what people are saying about them or their brand, it is not enough to just read the paper or watch the television news; global media must be monitored in real-time, filtered for relevant information, and delivered in an accessible and efficient format. Many enterprises already rely on content aggregated from syndicated news feeds and traditional media outlets, but due to the increasing importance of user generated content (UGC), this is no longer enough. User generated content (UGC) is publicly available, online material created by independent and often anonymous sources. UGC encompasses media such as blogs, which are regularly updated online journals comprised of links and postings, and podcasts, which are digital media files distributed over the Internet for playback on personal computers. UGC is already a significant content medium, and it is rapidly growing. Though UGC began with personal diaries, it has grown to encompass frontline political campaigning, breaking news from around the globe, and in-depth brand analysis. UGC has developed from a fringe movement to a critical force in communication, and a growing number of people are relying on UGC such as blogs as their primary source of information. According to a 2005 white paper by the Market Sentinel research group, 15 of the top 37 online news sources were blogs 1 and with 600,000 visitors per day, political blog The Daily Kos was more well-read than all but the biggest national newspapers. 2 Influential blogs have been cited in such primary news outlets as the Washington Post and the New York Times, and have been the first to offer on-scene reporting of major news stories. 1 Search is Brand, 2005 Market Sentinel 2 More People Read Blogs than Many Newspapers, 2006 Cyberjournalist.net

4 Due in part to the democratization of voices that UGC has ushered in, it can prove to be a breeding ground for slander and detraction. UGC is highly personal, and much of it today retains those subjective qualities, emphasizing individual experiences over authoritative citations and comprehensive fact-gathering. A blog that mentions a major brand, for instance, would be more likely to discuss the brand from the perspective of a blogger s own experience rather than from the perspective expressed by the manufacturer s marketing materials or press releases. Due to the sheer popularity of certain UGC, however, this individual experience can get far more exposure than the brand s own official voice. And due to the interlinked nature of UGC, oft-cited pages can quickly become incredibly popular. In December 2005, the Market Sentinel group found that bloggers primarily cite other blogs as their primary news sources. 3 There is also a growing amount of aggregate UGC content, sites that offer news services by filtering and linking to other topical blogs and podcasts. As a consequence of this widespread self-referencing, an individual voice can gain tremendous exposure and influence. This would not be problematic if the most widely-read UGC was still personal diaries, but increasingly, UGC is being used for consumer commentary and brand criticism. Major blogs such as The Consumerist: Shoppers Bite Back 4 offer regular reports from individuals dissatisfied with products and services, as well as insider information on everything ranging from internal company practices to upcoming business strategies. When a potential story breaks about a brand, such as a product deficiency or a change in corporate leadership, it can be quickly spread and linked to from source to source, often before the brand s managers can formulate a reply. Because UGC is permanent and published across multiple pages, it can play a critical role in shaping consumer opinion. A recent survey of the top 50 UK brands found that 20 of them have detractors in their top 10 results. 5 Considering that 75% of people who use a search engine are looking to transact with a company, 6 these top spots are vital digital real estate. If brand-detractor UGC gains a significantly influential place in public opinion, the results can be devastating. In 2005, Jeff Jarvis, a communications professional and blog writer, began posting regularly about his unsatisfactory experiences with his laptop. His blog was widely linked to and as it gained an increasing amount of influence, Jarvis became the leader of a substantial negative campaign characterized by widespread aggressive blogging. Though the manufacurer tried to respond to the bloggers concerns, the company was unable to overcome the movement; in June 2005, Jarvis and four other bloggers influenced 71% of the coverage on the issue. 7 Soon thereafter, the company issued a profit warning, and this company s experience was not unique. A 2005 Market Sentinel study found that 4 of the top 10 Web search results for the name of a well-known soft drink were detractor blogs. 8 3 Measuring the Influence of Bloggers on Corporate Reputation, 2005 Market Sentinel 4 The Consumerist, 5 Search is Brand, 2005 Market Sentinel 6 Georgia Institute of Technology survey, quoted by Alan Webb of Abakus Internet Marketing 7 Measuring the Influence of Bloggers on Corporate Reputation, 2005 Market Sentinel 8 Search is Brand, 2005 Market Sentinel

5 + Choosing a Content Aggregation Solution To summarize, UGC is a highly influential and rapidly growing medium with increasing influence on consumer decisions and the potential to challenge and overwhelm the voices of major corporations. As a result, organizations must leverage a content aggregation solution that not only provides access to information from conventional news sources but can quickly and efficiently provide relevant insight into the wide and rapidly updated body of UGC. Choosing a truly effective content aggregation solution, however, can be difficult. There are a growing number of UGC aggregation services, but they differ significantly in terms of methodology, scope, and reliability. For example, many UGC aggregation providers cite the large number of blogs that they track. It is critical to know, however, whether this number represents the cumulative number of blogs tracked over time or the number of blogs being currently tracked; how the solution differentiates between a normal Web site and a blog; how it differentiates between active and inactive blogs; and whether or not the rising quantity of spam blogs are included in the figure. The most critical criteria organizations must consider are: + The method of aggregation + The type of service offered + The types of content available + The spam filtering solution offered The Method of Aggregation The single most important factor in a content aggregation service is the aggregation methodology, and whether or not it focuses on breadth or depth in data collection. A service focused on breadth aims to provide a very broad coverage of information across the entire body of UGC. Many blog authoring tools automatically ping a server whenever a post is updated or new material becomes available. By using data from one of these ping servers, such as VeriSign s Weblogs.com or Yahoo s Blo.gs, UGC aggregation services are able to collect blog data on a massive scale. While this type of coverage is excellent for providing a broad overview, it may need to be augmented with another approach to meet the needs of organizations that need information on specific industries or topics. Content aggregation services focused on depth offer an alternative by editorially reviewing UGC and collecting information from sites with the greatest influence, as measured either by daily hits, the number of inbound/outbound links, or by tracking specific brands or industries. The most comprehensive content aggregation solutions track both breadth and depth, leveraging a ping server to track broader trends and an editorial review process to gain a deeper insight into the available data. The Type of Service Offered Due to the differences in aggregation methods, the types of services which UGC aggregators offer can vary significantly. Blog search engines, are consumer-oriented services that use ping server data to provide a service directly to consumers. Many of them generate revenue from advertising displayed alongside the search results. Because these search engines focus on the consumer experience, they have the largest brand recognition, they do not tailor their offerings for the needs of business customers. Blog application providers are companies that have developed software solutions around UGC usually tailored to specific industries or markets. Blog application providers are often primarily focused on gaining distribution for their application. Blog aggregation services may be offered, but as a secondary focus.

6 The Type of Content Available Organizations should also consider the type of content reviewed by their UGC aggregation solution, as digital media content plays an increasingly significant role in communications. In 2004, a lock manufacturer was forced into a $10 million recall after videos showing their bike locks being broken with a disposable pen were widely circulated in the blogger community. The vulnerability in the lock s design had been documented in print months before, but it was the engaging video format that propelled the information into public knowledge. Some UGC aggregation service providers harvest data exclusively from blogs and do not offer any coverage of other types of content, like news and podcasts. When choosing a solution, organizations should consider if they need to cover multiple types of content because some offerings provide access to multiple types of content as part of a comprehensive solution. The Spam Filtering Solution Offered Like many online mediums, UGC has problems with scams, spam, and other aggressive and misleading advertising; recent public reports estimate that 56% of pinging blogs are spam. 9 A UGC aggregation solution must be able to efficiently and reliably manage this spam to consistently provide the user with useful and accurate information. There are various tactics available to deal with spam, including developing blacklists of spam blogs or evaluating the URL or content of dubious sites. Blog spam is rapidly evolving and often hard to identify; the most reliable UGC aggregation services utilize multifaceted spam filtering solutions. In addition, some content aggregators fully manage the spam internally while others offer their customers some degree of control and insight into the process, such as allowing clients to examine material tagged as spam and decide on its value for themselves. Organizations should ensure that their provider is offering them the level of visibility they need. There are other criteria to be considered when choosing a UGC aggregation solution. Some content aggregators offer additional services, such as tagging blog content with meta data. Metatags provide additional descriptive information about each blog post, or podcast episode allowing the content to be easily organized so that only relevant content is displayed. In addition, organizations that function on a global level should ensure that the UGC data they are receiving encompasses information from all the countries and languages in which they are operating. Other factors to consider can include the delivery methods (XML API or Search API), the customer service the provider offers, and the degree to which the service can provide truly real-time information. Understanding these factors and knowing which UGC aggregation providers offer the most fitting solution is vital for organizations seeking to protect and develop their brands. For more information about VeriSign s content aggregation solutions, please visit 9 Pings, spings, splogs and the splogosphere: 2007 updates, Pranam Kolari at Ebiquity Group of UMBC 2007 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VeriSign, the VeriSign logo, the checkmark circle, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners