Social Media Crisis Management
When you discover yourself in the eye of a social media storm it can be a frightening place to be. Instantly your platforms are going into meltdown, and you are unsure if there is anything you can do to resolve it.
In effect, there is, and it begins well before anything happens. If you have a social media crisis management plan in place and are prepared, you will be able to respond easily and professionally in any worst-case scenario.
See below our seven-step guide to find social media crisis management.
Guide to Social Media Crisis Management
Step 1: Understand what a social media crisis means for you.
A social media crisis is an online occurrence that can harm your company’s reputation, as well as your bottom line. However, not all social media crises are uniform. What is harmful to a small company will be water of a ducks back to a multinational organisation.
A crisis can be anything from a torrent of negative comments, fake news that catches on or a full-on company boycott. The initial steps are to determine what a crisis means for your company.
Step 2: Be prepared.
Frequently, a social media crisis will occur unexpectedly. However, sometimes it will build up gradually as word spreads and complaints gather speed. Nonetheless, when you have an advanced process in place you will be able to notice problems early on and nip them in the bud swiftly.
Here is how:
- Monitor comments on ads – these are likely to reach a wider audience and can attract higher levels of negativity.
- Use listening tools to keep track of online mentions.
- Keep a list of common complaints – and a crib sheet with ideal answers to them.
- Have a discussion with senior management to agree on which types of problems you will deal with, and which will be sent to independent departments.
- Be clear who your point of contact is when dealing with a crisis and make sure they have the authority to deal with it.
- Ensure you have the out of hours contact details for all relevant team members.
Step 3: Stay calm.
When you are aware something may be wrong, stay calm. If steps one and two are in place there is no need to be alarmed. Inhale deeply, take out your plan and put in to action.
Step 4: Acknowledge the situation.
It is paramount you publicly acknowledge the crisis as rapidly as possible. You do not need a rash statement at this stage, but it is good to inform people that you are conscious of the problem and that you are handling it. Ensure comments are neutral and avoid being lured into tit for tat reactions. This can be difficult if you believe you are being discriminated, but it will not help. React publicly then remove the issue offline to solve it if you can.
Step 5: When to remove posts.
It can be tempting to hit the delete button if circumstances explode in the comments of one of your social media posts. If you are tackling a troll, then carry on and remove the problem responses. However, if they are from a sincere discontented customer, think twice. Deleting can appear as though you are trying to hide something or that you are not taking the issue seriously. It is important to acknowledge that you are aware of the circumstances, and you are trying to resolve them offline as quickly as possible.
Step 6: Handling a national & global crisis.
It is astounding how quickly a company can get absorbed by a social media crisis, through no fault of their own. For example, failing to interpret the mood of the nation during a global or national occurrence. To action this, it is your place to stay abreast of the news and pause any prescheduled content that does not hit the mark.
Step 7: Reflect and learn.
The dust will settle eventually and when it does, take time to review what has occurred and what you may have learnt from it.
- Were the right people involved?
- Did the system work?
- Did you have a system in place to deal with a crisis?
- What could you have done differently?
- What changes can you put in place to ensure a smoother run next time?
- Organise a meeting with senior stakeholders to talk through your concepts and findings.
Conclusion
It is simple to think that you will never have to deal with a full-blown social media dilemma, and we really hope you won’t have to. However, by planning ahead and positioning a process in place, you will be able to bring down the potential impact on your company and keep your stress levels in check.
If you would like us to help you to develop a social media crisis strategy, get in touch with us today.
Drop us a call at 0203 150 0565 or email us info@stefaniegrant.com.