How To Convert Google SideWiki Comments To An RSS Feed For Reputation Management
Google SideWiki is a new plug-in feature that gives visitors to your website the opportunity to make comments as bystanders. You have to have SideWiki installed along with Google Toolbar in order to comment and read other comments.
If you’re like me and your browser toolbar is already bloated as it is, and you don’t want Google Toolbar, but want to be able to read the SideWiki comments, what do you do? Why, you just turn the sidewiki comments into an RSS feed. When you subscribe to RSS using Google Reader, just copy the following URL syntax, and customize it to the site you want to follow:
http://www.google.com/sidewiki/feeds/entries/webpage/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mywebsite.com%2F/full
Most of the SideWiki comments are likely to be spam or immature, but you may find some worth addressing, especially if they’re comments about the actual site, rather than the content.
Additionally, use SideWiki comments for reputation management. You’ll have to use a computer with SideWiki installed to respond to the comments, but it may be worth it. At any rate, you should create Google SideWiki RSS feeds to add to your reputation management strategy for all the sites you own.
Hat Tip to RyanJones
Before Your Favorite Foods Get Discontinued
Everyone knows the feeling of having one of your favorite foods discontinued. It feels like a piece of your soul is gone, never to be returned. For some, it was Crispy M&M’s, Boo Berry, Surge, or Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla. For me, it was cheap frozen gnocchi.
Can one person prevent an entire line of food from being taken off the shelves? Probably not, unless you’re willing to go from store to store buying out all of your favorite food. I don’t have enough money or nearly enough freezer space for that much gnocchi.
The Consumer Contract
As a consumer, I often forget that food isn’t permanent and that I’m not entitled to anything. I love food, and I love stumbling upon lesser-known foods that I can introduce people to. I believe there’s an inherent consumer responsibility that comes with liking food. If I don’t do more than merely buy the food, I inherently accept a portion of the blame when that food is discontinued. Buying is not enough anymore.
Companies in the 20th century need more than just purchasers. They need consumer partners. I can’t get my favorite foods without them and they can’t continue to sell my favorite foods without me. That is the consumer contract. It’s not one-sided as we so frequently forget. And if you like the product enough, what problem do you have with doing more than just eating it?
Realizing I needed to do a little more for my favorites, I hopped on Yoplait.com over the weekend and wrote a short letter thanking them for my favorite 100 calorie miracle yogurt, Strawberry Orange Sunrise. It’s one of those “fringe products” that’s not a staple flavor among yogurts, so if it doesn’t catch on, it could get the axe. Writing Yoplait was my first experience trying to do more as a consumer. It wasn’t a big deal, but as a marketer, I understand the value of unsolicited support. It won’t save the brand by itself, but it’s marketing ammunition that a mere purchase doesn’t offer.
Yoplait Strawberry Orange Sunrise Yogurt
Who knows if my feedback will do anything to preserve Yoplait Strawberry Orange Sunrise yogurt or Barilla No-cook Lasagna Noodles or my other favorite “fringe foods,” but I do believe in showing gratitude where it’s due and you should too.
UPDATE
Today I got an e-mail response from Yoplait:
Consumer Services