Tiger Woods PR ignores social media & fans
Like many others, I was a huge fan of Tiger Woods until recently. He epitomized perfection on and off the golf course. Something that has been shattered in the last few weeks. We all know that. A question that remains though - how is he trying to contain his damage and is he using social media helping or hurting him? (Also, read the MediaPost story that I was interviewed for)In a nutshell, the answer is no. He has over 1.3 million fans on his Facebook fan page and has locked them out (no one can comment). Woods hasn't posted to the fan page since November 6th himself. Instead he's made press statements via his own website. Here's a secret - the media will always be harsher on you than your fans. The fans are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt (though here there doesn't seem to be much doubt). Don't ignore them - instead reach them directly.
Here's what I said Tiger Woods should do in the MediaPost story - use the website to talk to the press, speak directly to the fans through the Facebook page, open it up for comments even if it means getting slammed and be clear about how much you will respond. Don't delete anything published earlier (yes, that includes those family photographs) and tell us about your path to recovery as it progresses. Mr. Woods you owe that much to your fans including me.
This just isn't about trying to hold onto your brand for dear life, it is also about what you owe your fans. You betrayed them. Also read David Deal's perspective for another point of view.
Follow me on Twitter (@shivsingh) for more insights on digital strategy and social media.
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