As growing numbers of companies jump into social media marketing, there are greater opportunities to make missteps. Preparation and, to a certain degree, common sense can prevent embarrassing errors from reaching the public. However, we must recognize that all of us are imperfect and we can’t possibly meet our own high standards 100% of the time. In the case of failure, prior planning will prevent our response to an error from multiplying and becoming larger than the original mistake.

1. Infamous Social Fails:
What Your Business Can Learn from Celebrity Mistakes
Matt Keough, Senior Account Executive
Rebecca Roebuck, Social Media Manager
November 9, 2011 | 3 pm to 4 pm Eastern
Live Tweet With Us!
@FathomOnline #SocialFails

2. About Fathom
 Established in 1997, 130+ employees and headquartered in Valley View, with an office
in Columbus, Ohio.
 We are a full-service digital marketing company that delivers measurable results that
matter: leads that buy and profitable revenue. Our 300+ clients in B2B, B2C,
healthcare, manufacturing, IT/software, education and e-commerce.
 SEO, paid search, display, email, video, social media, online PR, link building
#SocialFails

3. About Your Presenters
Matt Keough
 Senior Account Executive
 14 years’ online marketing experience
 Beleaguered Browns fan
 Follow Matt on Twitter @mattkeough
Rebecca Roebuck
 Social Media Manager, Webbed Marketing
 Sociology major lead to interest in social media and online networks
 Been on Facebook since 2004
 Follow Rebecca on Twitter @dcrebekah
#SocialFails

4. How not to #Fail
What’s next when you do!
#SocialFails

5. Types of #Fail
 Self-centered
 Lack of Preparation
 Technology Enabled
 Lack of Vetting
 Lack of Engagement
 Alcohol
 “Hacked”
 Politics, Religion, 5th Amendment
#SocialFails

6. Self-centered #Fail
 More than 9,300 tweets
 More than 1,130,000 followers
 Following about 400
 Flood of retweets about how awesome it must be to be The Situation
 Nearly 100% pure promotional messages
#SocialFails

7. Self-centered #Fail
 719,042 Followers
 Listed on 14,803 lists
 Follows 0
#SocialFails

8. Lack of Preparation #Fail
 Klout Perks
 Special offers for only the worthy
 Scarcity appeal
#SocialFails

9. Technology Enabled #Fail
 Technology makes us more efficient
 Technology allows us to be more
productive
 Technology allows us to screw up more
quickly
#SocialFails

10. Technology Enabled #Fail
@CryslerAutos
 “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here
knows how to f----ing drive”
 “Except I didn’t say fudge” – A Christmas Story
#SocialFails

11. Lack of Vetting #Fail
 Zac Brown Band
 Crossover / Country act
 Americana appeal
 Chicken fry
 Cold beer on a Friday night
 A pair of jeans that fit just right
 Labor Day promotion with Carharrt
 Zac Brown Band and Carharrt are taking back Labor Day! Join us in honoring
everyday heroes by learning about the people behind the scenes at ZBB and voting
for your favorite story
 Carharrt outsources production to Mexico and elsewhere
 Not well-received by Facebook fans
#SocialFails

12. Lack of Vetting #Fail
#SocialFails

13. Lack of Engagement #Fail
 Browns hero Peyton Hillis
 Cover of Madden 11
 Fan voting enhanced by social
media
 Engaged with fans
 Birthday wishes
 Thanks for support
 Tweets about the weather

14. Lack of Engagement #Fail
 Series of injuries, illness, contract negotiations tarnished image
 No-show at kids charity Halloween Party
 Host of party takes to Twitter to call him out
 Fans want to defend, but wait for his reply…….
#SocialFails

15. Lack of Engagement #Fail
 Crickets chirping
#SocialFails

16. Alcohol #Fail
@RedCross
 Intern had access to account
 Intern went drinking
 Intern tweeted about #gettngslizzerd
Triple #Fail
 Intern
 Alcohol
 Technology
#SocialFails

17. Hacked #Fail
 Photos tweeted
 “Hacked” explanation
CC Sabathia’s account tweeted that the Cardinals were better than
the Yankees during the World Series
#SocialFails

18. Politics, Religion, 5Th Amendment #Fail
#SocialFails

19. Honorable Mention #Fail
Real Life #FAIL
#SocialFails

20. #Fail Prevention Program
 Train the people who will access accounts
 Is the least experienced person in charge of your message?
 Limit access to public-facing accounts
 Change passwords frequently
 Read twice, post once
 Count to three before you press “send”
 1:1 account management for key accounts
 You can’t send from wrong account if you can’t get to wrong account
 Friends don’t let friends drink and tweet
#SocialFails

21. #Fail Recovery Program
 Know that your team is not above making a mistake
 Monitor reaction to mistake
 Don’t hide!
 Have a crisis communications plan
 Be as honest as the law allows
#SocialFails

22. QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU for joining us!
Guide will be emailed to registered email.
Follow Fathom at:
http://twitter.com/FathomOnline
#SocialFails