What is black PR and how to resist
The concept of "black PR" appeared in Russia, and relatively recently. The phenomenon in quite a short time has managed to firmly occupy its niche and begin to terrify politicians, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and all other competitive people who produce their own product.
Today, black PR, organized by competitors or simply by enemies, using the Internet in a matter of days (and in some cases even hours) finds its target audience, shaping public opinion about a person or brand.
Any organizer of an information attack has the main goal - to destroy the reputation of an opponent. The motive in this case may be hostile relations, the desire to take someone else's place, the desire to oust the competitor from the market and so on.
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The main weapon of black PR attacks is information. Actual, hypertrophied or completely fictitious, it is distributed by cyber criminals all over the Internet, laid out where your target audience gathers, systematically destroys your image. A blow to the reputation can come from any side - the organizers of a black PR campaign can be competitors, colleagues, clients, acquaintances, and, what often happens, people close to you.
Black PR is, as some may seem, an amoral way of solving personal problems. However, today everyone applies to this method: from private entrepreneurs to first-rate people, from small enterprises to the largest holdings with a worldwide reputation. The reason for such popularization was the fact that the overwhelming majority of Internet users readily perceived information broadcast in the network. Just one article, published on the right resource, and a couple of dozen comments left on certain social networks, can destroy the reputation of a person - this is well understood by those who are engaged in black PR on a professional level. Some PR experts have subtly caught the interest of the audience in information attacks as an alternative and effective method of operative problem solving. So, today, the market of services includes various PR companies involved in the organization of information attacks, as well as entire reputation management agencies (serm agencies), which are taken not only for discredit, but also for resisting attackers, restoring reputation after the war .
If amateurs who do not have the proper resources and competence started the attack on you, then it is extremely easy to recognize the discredit:
First of all, it is necessary to maintain a cold mind and clearly plan their next steps. It is important to determine the source of the attack - so you can evaluate the opponent, understand his motives and goals, conduct a more effective campaign to counter the attackers. Probably, you will have to play a proactive and deliberately notify your customers and partners that an information attack is organized against you. Next, it is important to define your own goals: whether you just want to stop discrediting or plan to take revenge - depends on this as a set of further actions, and the amount required to counter the resources.
Now it's time to act. Protection of reputation and neutralization of information attacks require an integrated approach: it is impossible to restore the reputation by simply stopping black PR - it is important to work on modeling public opinion.
Take into account all the details from a beginner will not work. The most correct solution to save time, money, nerves in such a situation is to contact a specialized reputation management agency for help.
Can. If you are sure that you are able to repel an information attack and restore a damaged reputation on your own, then proceed without the involvement of experts from the outside. Whichever option you choose - to fight the intruders on your own or contact black PR specialists - you will find your pros and cons everywhere.
Option 1. Independent resolution of the conflict
Pros:
Minuses:
Option 2. Help of reputation management professionals
Minuses:
Pros:
Black PR is not a sentence. With a rational approach and decent strategic planning, an information attack can even play into your hands by raising ratings.
The main rule here is to respond to unrest among the target audience in a timely manner and not wait for the collapse. And if you doubt your own strength, do not self-medicate - entrust your reputation to those who know exactly what to do with it in an emergency.
Today, black PR, organized by competitors or simply by enemies, using the Internet in a matter of days (and in some cases even hours) finds its target audience, shaping public opinion about a person or brand.
Tasks of black PR
Any organizer of an information attack has the main goal - to destroy the reputation of an opponent. The motive in this case may be hostile relations, the desire to take someone else's place, the desire to oust the competitor from the market and so on.
')
The main weapon of black PR attacks is information. Actual, hypertrophied or completely fictitious, it is distributed by cyber criminals all over the Internet, laid out where your target audience gathers, systematically destroys your image. A blow to the reputation can come from any side - the organizers of a black PR campaign can be competitors, colleagues, clients, acquaintances, and, what often happens, people close to you.
Black PR is, as some may seem, an amoral way of solving personal problems. However, today everyone applies to this method: from private entrepreneurs to first-rate people, from small enterprises to the largest holdings with a worldwide reputation. The reason for such popularization was the fact that the overwhelming majority of Internet users readily perceived information broadcast in the network. Just one article, published on the right resource, and a couple of dozen comments left on certain social networks, can destroy the reputation of a person - this is well understood by those who are engaged in black PR on a professional level. Some PR experts have subtly caught the interest of the audience in information attacks as an alternative and effective method of operative problem solving. So, today, the market of services includes various PR companies involved in the organization of information attacks, as well as entire reputation management agencies (serm agencies), which are taken not only for discredit, but also for resisting attackers, restoring reputation after the war .
Signs of a black PR campaign, or how to understand that I was attacked
If amateurs who do not have the proper resources and competence started the attack on you, then it is extremely easy to recognize the discredit:
- An unnatural amount of openly deceitful articles and reviews about you, your brand, began to appear on the network.
- The data is distributed exclusively through free channels (social networks, third-rate information portals, blogs and forums).
- Articles and reviews of extremely poor quality, contain errors, are not friendly with formatting.
- Materials are posted with 1-2 “dead” accounts - profiles without information about the person, photos, posts on the wall or posts in other topics and so on.
What if a PR attack starts on me?
First of all, it is necessary to maintain a cold mind and clearly plan their next steps. It is important to determine the source of the attack - so you can evaluate the opponent, understand his motives and goals, conduct a more effective campaign to counter the attackers. Probably, you will have to play a proactive and deliberately notify your customers and partners that an information attack is organized against you. Next, it is important to define your own goals: whether you just want to stop discrediting or plan to take revenge - depends on this as a set of further actions, and the amount required to counter the resources.
Now it's time to act. Protection of reputation and neutralization of information attacks require an integrated approach: it is impossible to restore the reputation by simply stopping black PR - it is important to work on modeling public opinion.
Take into account all the details from a beginner will not work. The most correct solution to save time, money, nerves in such a situation is to contact a specialized reputation management agency for help.
Is it possible to cope with a black PR campaign without the involvement of professionals?
Can. If you are sure that you are able to repel an information attack and restore a damaged reputation on your own, then proceed without the involvement of experts from the outside. Whichever option you choose - to fight the intruders on your own or contact black PR specialists - you will find your pros and cons everywhere.
Option 1. Independent resolution of the conflict
Pros:
- You are totally in control of the process.
- No one needs to tell all the ins and outs of the relationship with the organizers of the attack.
Minuses:
- Lack of competence in matters of information warfare: the consequences of a single mistake can be fatal.
- High risk of aggravating the conflict.
- Lack of time to do their direct business and responsibilities.
- Chances are extra costs ("I thought it would help me, but it does not work ...")
Option 2. Help of reputation management professionals
Minuses:
- Ignorance of important criteria for the selection of specialists can lead you to amateurs.
- An extremely modest number of market reputation management agencies.
Pros:
- Specialists will develop an effective strategy for you personally.
- Professionals have repeatedly faced with information attacks - they know how to squeeze the maximum effect with minimal cost and in a short time.
- Serm-agency has in its arsenal all the resources necessary for waging war (team, software, experience, connections, and so on).
- Pros will not only repel the attack, but also restore the damaged reputation.
- The Reputation Management Agency may make a diagnosis, as well as make recommendations to prevent similar situations in the future.
Black PR is not a sentence. With a rational approach and decent strategic planning, an information attack can even play into your hands by raising ratings.
The main rule here is to respond to unrest among the target audience in a timely manner and not wait for the collapse. And if you doubt your own strength, do not self-medicate - entrust your reputation to those who know exactly what to do with it in an emergency.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/448874/
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