While most companies see positive effects from social media marketing, Honda is faced with an entirely different result upon the release of photos of their new vehicle, the Crosstour.

On September 1, 2009, Honda released images of their new vehicle, the Crosstour on their Facebook Fan Page. While Honda was expecting fans to see the new vehicle and express their delight, they were struck with a very different situation.

The majority of all comments received in the Fan Page have been nothing but insults and expressions of hatred. Honda is now faced with a dilemma. If they leave the page up will it have an effect on sales when the vehicle is released? If they do take the page down or moderate the comments due to negative responses, will they be faced with even larger PR problems?

Unfortunately, social media, while extremely popular and a great resource for companies, is unpredictable because companies are not the only ones posting on their site. Comments can be moderated but if all negative feedback is deleted, many fans may lose faith in the company and not trust it as a reliable source of information.

It is important to consider all possibilities when posting on your social media sites. Because you have no control over what other people will post on your page, you should be prepared for the negative feedback as well as the positive so you know how to react should you be faced with a similar situation.