What Is A Streisand Effect And Marty's $10,000 SEO Offer To Drop A Lawsuit

Here is a $10,000 SEO offer I just made on my Curation Revolution Scoop.it Feed to help an Austin company understand how the Internet really works and clear a frivolous lawsuit off the books.

What Is A Streisand Effect

Barbara Streisand is rich and a bit of a diva. Before someone explained how the Internet worked she believed she could control it. Control, as it turns out, is one of the rules this engine runs on. I should say rebelling against any impression of some larger force using their riches or diva-nature to attempt mind control is an Internet marketing fuel. Instead of Barbara's intended result, control over information, she ignited an explosion. Here is an excellent description I scooped to Marketing Revolution the other day:

The Streisand effect is used to describe an instance in which a person or company attempts to suppress a photograph, story, or any piece of information—only serving to exacerbate the problem and bring more unwanted attention. In short, the attempt to suppress becomes bigger news than the information itself. It makes that company look like a big ol’ fuddy duddy spoil sport that doesn’t understand this newfangled Internet thingy.
From Marketing Revolution on Scoop.it

Austin Gutter King is about to be on the wrong side of a Streisand Effect. It is not the reviewer who was surely exercising their first amendment rights who is in trouble. Say goodbye instead of to a company sure to not be around much longer unless they can do a 180 and plead ignorance of how the Internet works.

I feel for Austin's Gutter Kings. The review may have been nasty, mean and ill tempered. Life and content marketing networks aren't FAIR. They do love a good controversy though and suing customers who write reviews.....well let me know how that works as a business building tactic (heard of tripping over thousand dollar bills to pick up pennies).

Other ways Austin's Gutter Kings could have solved their problem with a better outcome:

•  Appreciate the review even if you disagree with the content. Only 1% of people take the time to write reviews, but any review usually represents a tribe of people who believe those things. Rare to have a true outlier, so appreciate the review and change what you can.

• Not a big fan of justifying actions or policies in response to negative reviews as that kind of soulless speak fans the flames, but you can use specific examples where what one person hates another loves (even better if the other customer fights this battle instead).

• Bring the review to your site and write an appreciative blog post. Again, you appreciate the feedback without agreeing and share any soul-searching moments the review brought to your attention. Also share foundation stories and passion. Why did you get into gutters in the first place? What is it you love about cleaning gutters? I'm not being trite. If you spend your life doing something like cleaning gutters it must be because you like helping people protect their largest investment (their homes) and you probably have stories about how your work has made a difference in the world. Sharing stories like this as you discuss a negative review provides context, it expands the conversation away from the point of conflict without an endless, "He Said, She Said," debate.

• Connect with the negative reviewer and move them from detractor to supporter. Most people who complain just want to be heard. Once they are heard, so listen carefully again without agreement, find a way to keep them involved and providing feedback. The most valuable thing online is the 1% of the people who will give you feedback (for more on this idea Google 1:10:89 Rule and read my ScentTrail blog post about just how valuable the 1% is).

I feel for Austin's Gutter Kings even as I know they have just blown themselves up. Internet marketing is a live grenade best approached with CARE and a good guide. I hope the Gutter Kings haven't cleaned their last gutter. They may want to read my Turn Negative Reviews Into Money post too.

I'm so moved by their plight I will give what must be the best gutter cleaners in Austin $10,000 worth of my SEO consulting at no charge IF they withdraw their sure to be painful lawsuit over the negative review.

Google Martin Marty Smith Austin G Kings and you will find how to connect with me :). Hope we get a chance to work together (my work email is Martin.Smith(at)Atlanticbt(dot)com).

Marty