My company, GasPedal, recently hosted BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media in Atlanta. Our presenters represented some of the world’s biggest brands, all sharing how they’re using social media. We’re gearing up for our next BlogWell in San Diego on February 16 — featuring case studies from Starbucks, Clorox, USAA, Intuit, Avery Dennison, Community Medical Centers, State Farm Insurance, and the U.S. Navy — and as a preview, I’m sharing some of my favorite big ideas from Atlanta.

Debbie Curtis-Magley, UPS’ manager of corporate public relations, explained how they used social media channels to defend themselves from a competitor’s campaign. Here are just a few big takeaways from her presentation:

• If you wait to participate in social media until an issue arises, it’s too late. Debbie stressed the importance of preparation and early participation in social media. Her 5 tips for social media defense include beginning to monitor and earning credibility now (before you really need it), as well as training and empowering your staff.
• Know when to participate and when stay out of it. Debbie and her team didn’t attempt to join every conversation about the issue — only the ones where they could add value.
• Third-party information is more trustworthy than yours. When possible, Debbie’s team directed the conversation to unbiased third-party sites that explained the issue from an outside perspective.

See the live presentation here:

Related posts:

1. Andy’s Answers: How Newell Rubbermaid manages social media from a multi-brand perspective
2. Andy’s Answers: How to keep your brand safe and ethical in social media
3. Andy’s Answers: How Coke is taking their brand around the world with Expedition 206