In the case of Target, a blog swarm formed when their online shopping interface inadvertently displayed Marijuana as a product available through the store (it was actually a book, but didn’t have the context necessary for users to understand that). Their response was to do nothing – purposely ignore the bloggers under the assumption that no one really believed they were selling marijuana. They were right – the story never got picked up by the mainstream media and it quickly died.

Apple, on the other hand, did address the swarm they were getting over a faulty product design. They responded QUICKLY through mainstream media, honestly addressing the issue and instructing consumers how to get a replacement for the product. The blogger who started the swarm announced on his blog that “Apple did the right thing” and gave a review of his positive experience.

In general, this is a great book – I would recommend it to any PR or Marketing exec who wants to understand what to “do” with social media.

I agree – companies can’t bury their heads – but they can’t go in the opposite direction either and be too forceful in this environment. Its still about being appropriate and professional and now, more than ever, its about responding well to customer needs. People are just as likely to rave about a good experience as they are to complain about a bad one.