Social Media in Loss Prevention

One of the outcomes of the FMI LP show was that the folks there need to be able to search across multiple social networking sites to find not only people, but instances where their companies show up.

So, I have done a little searching and it looks like Yahoo is looking into this as well.  In fact, I am pretty sure the next big internet start-up will be searching social networks.  (If I had the money, I would start this right now!!!)

Anyway, here are a couple of sites that might help the folks in Loss Prevention do their jobs more effectively.

• Wink.com – Wink lets you search across multiple social networking sites and also includes background checks.  I quick search of my full name revealed 5 results including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Delver.com – Another interesting site that is more for social networking users.  You put in your name and it finds you across multiple social networking sites and creates a sort of family tree of your friends.  This could be beneficial for finding accomplices.
• imvivo.com – This one looks to be very promising.  Entering my name returned over 57 records.  These included:  press releases were I was quoted or mentioned, my blog, eSnips, Amazon.com profile, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Facebook, other blogs where I was quoted, even a comment I posted on an article at Forbes Magazine.  Even more impressive, it seemed to figure out that I go by RODSTAR (see my twitter) and found only those profile names that were mine.  So, it found me on www.delvalreefclub.org as an example.  It found a printed article that I was interviewed in that appeared in Government Computer News and it found the wedding registry from my wife and I (5 years ago).

I’m Vivo wins for now.  But, they get a few errors here and there on the site and a search for “Big Y” (as in the grocer) came up with everything from Big Brother to the Big 3 automakers.  It will pull results from inside PDF files which is cool.

But, the one that may win out is the one used by PR firms.  It is Radian6.  I just signed up for a demo myself.  So, I will report back at another time.  But essentially, Radian6 will find out who is talking about your brand!  And, though it is a paid service, it might be a good one for not only LP folks, but your marketers and advertisers as well.