Brands need to be in tune with the online world – to both listen and be prepared to respond. A ‘groundswell’ online can potentially damage a company’s reputation if ignored. But those that have good relations with their audiences, and are transparent in their responses, should be able to mitigate any long-term reputation damage. Any active online engagement from a brand must remain authentic – so if a company chooses to enter an online debate, they should be clearly visible, rather than disguised as a contributor.