Last May the web was abuzz with complaints about the big florist brands — what will happen this Valentines’ Day? Big holidays have always been a chance for people to complain about these companies’ problematic service, but never before had this ire been so spectacularly captured and documented. Facebook and Twitter lit up on Mother’s Day with issues, apparently many Moms didn’t receive their flowers from FTD, even though buyers placed orders way before the big day.

Twitter is a service that allows people to make short comments for their friends and the world to see.  Twitter now lets people search its users’ comments — search for “Teleflora” or “FTD” on twitter.com and you will get an abundance of good and bad comments. These posts are now starting to show up on Google — search for “FTD” on Google and you might get a news story or a timely Twitter post right at the top.

The same goes for  your flower shop.  A Google search for your store could easily show a positive Twitter post or a negative one right at the top of search results. It’s the kind of publicity that could make or break your business.

Complaints about FTD on Twitter for Mother's Day

So what is in store for Valentine’s Day and what does all this mean for your flower business?

Brand and brand loyalty are changing in the era of the Internet. Successful brands used by millions of people can literally be born overnight. Brands can also be damaged or even destroyed overnight, thanks to the speed with with news travels through Twitter, Facebook, and online news.

This can be great news for a local florist.

Spend the time investing in an online presence (build a blog, create a Facebook page, create online contests and press releases) and you can dramatically improve your online and offline standing. But there is a danger also. Your customers are watching you more closely than ever. But beware, screw up that order and your current and future customers are likely to hear about it.