Online Public Relations Thoughts

Why is transparency important online as it is elsewhere? Because you can tick off your customers when they find out you have been manipulating them. You get stories like this and this and this. It's a reputation wrecker whether one intends it or not. The company that apparently has been seeding sites for Nvidia seems to do undercover work regularly. Perhaps there are times when it works well, but one runs the risk of getting bitten. It's better in the end to be upfront.

I have written in the past that I didn't think it crossed the line to ask a question without identifying oneself, but no more than that. There are those who disagree with asking anonymous questions, and I think now they are right. There's little to be gained by fooling those whom you wish to build a relationship with. It's a fundamental sign of disrespect and lack of trust.

There is good reason for transparency, and buzz marketers especially need to learn the lesson.