Brands need to step up their internet marketing strategy to ensure that their image remains positive, one expert has claimed.

Rhodri Harries, managing director of Kaizo, claims that the influence of word-of-mouth across web 2.0 platforms underlines the need for brands to be 'more active online'.

Brands such as Ryanair and British Airways performed poorly in the firm's recent Summer Kaizo Advocacy Index published on July 30th, which is based on independent links across four Google search tools.

Mr Harries explained: "In today's Web 2.0 world of information sharing and user-generated content, it's easy for positive comments surrounding brands to get lost in the ocean of general, passive comments.

"Tailoring brand activity to online audiences is therefore becoming increasingly necessary, with a real need for media rich content or digital news releases when distributing news to media."

However for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), courting the new web 2.0 phenomenon is just an added distraction, according to Craig Reardon writing in SmartCompany.

Should SMEs be worried about Web 2.0 online marketing?

Online Marketing specialists Business Feet help create value from business websites