You might have heard about the Streisand effect before. It’s named after pop musician Barbara Streisand, who once threatened legal action because Google Earth showed an aerial view of her house and some websites published the images. Rather than stopping those images from being seen, it just pushed other websites to start republishing them in solidarity.

The idea behind the Streisand Effect is that the more you try to censor or hide something, the more likely it is to be shared and spread. And the reason we’re talking about it here is that companies need to know about it in case something goes wrong. Marketing departments in particular have an obligation to help to safeguard the company’s reputation.

And that’s why we have an obligation as marketers to understand the Streisand Effect and to make sure that we’re aware of its implications. Too often, companies react to crises by trying to sweep problems under the carpet or by controlling which information is being released. And when that happens, information has a habit of finding its way out anyway and then being shared without your control or consent.

How to react to a disaster

Companies make mistakes, it’s just inevitable. We need to be prepared for that and to have a disaster response plan in place, and it should focus on open and honest communication instead of trying to supress information and coming up against the Streisand Effect.

When something does go wrong, your company will find itself under the microscope. Your reputation might be damaged, but you can also rescue it if you react quickly enough and if you embrace openness and communication. Remember that when you’re under more scrutiny than ever before, it’s the worst possible time to stretch the truth or to hide things. You’ll get caught out, and if you get caught out then your reputation will suffer even more damage.

Dealing with disasters is just the price we pay to play in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing business world. The good news is that we can get through those disasters and recover from them, and if you look at any major business, you can usually find at least one crisis that they weathered to get to where they are today.

What’s Next?

Ultimately, the Streisand Effect should serve as a reminder for us that the truth will out eventually. In times of crisis – or even just in times of chaos and uncertainty – sometimes the best thing we can do is to be open and honest. People will respond to that honesty, helping you to develop truly authentic connections with the people you’re trying to reach. Remember: honesty and integrity are the new norms in the digital marketing era. Good luck.

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