“OMG, we’re blowing up on social media”
I’ve been in a number of crisis management situations where the person responsible for a company’s social media will run into the room, look at their iPhone, utter those fateful words, and then disappear.
As a crisis strategist, this information is largely irrelevant to me. Without context, I can’t assess whether an issue is truly trending (for not-good reasons) on an app. It provides insufficient data to make informed decisions at best and, at worst, can distract from the critical task of managing the crisis effectively if there is even really one. It may also increase anxiety among team members, undermining focus and response.
I understand that getting your arms around social media if it is needed during a crisis is incredibly difficult. TikTok, Facebook, X/Twitter, IG, Snapchat, and the like are just the latest examples of an accelerated media landscape. Just like when 24-hour cable news came onto the scene, organizations have had to quickly adapt to a news cycle that was no longer based on broadcasts at noon, six, and eleven.
In the same way that organizations adapted to cable news, we have to adapt to social media. In fact, we shouldn’t just adapt to social media. We should embrace it, especially in a crisis if you need to. First you must ask some important questions about the people you are trying to reach; where do they get their information and who do they trust to give them that information.
We talk a lot about the critical importance of knowing your stakeholders. Having an absolutely certain understanding of who matters most to you is paramount to crisis response. And part of that is knowing how your most important stakeholders prefer to receive information and where they seek it out. That may be through social media, but it also may not.
If your business VIPs are strongly engaged on your social channels, then that’s where you should place your focus for messaging during a crisis and in the aftermath. If your biggest stakeholders are largely not present on social media, then a more traditional approach to communications (press releases, email announcements, carrier pigeon etc.) may be a better way to get in front of them (note: but don’t ignore your followers if you have them. Be discerning if the voices matter to you though. A troll is a troll.).
It’s easy to forget that social media is a wonderful way for people to stay connected to their favorite brands. Social media can be a great tool for brands to build loyalty with their customers and generate buzz for their next big thing. If you’ve been using social media to promote your brand, then you have a built-in audience already tuned to your channel.
Social media allows you to quickly update the situation on a “one-to-many” basis without the need for an intermediary like a reporter. Think of it as a fast, unfiltered way to get your messaging out to people who are interested in hearing from you.
The main thing to remember is that the basic tenets of good crisis communications remain, whatever your medium or timeframe. Only say what you know to be the truth at that point in time and don’t speculate.
So, the first thing you do when using social media to communicate in or during the aftermath of a crisis is to articulate the facts. Make sure that your posts are appropriate for the channel, being mindful of character limits, video length limits, and the limits of your audiences’ attention. Determine and stick to a schedule that fits you and the situation.
As always, just be sure to exercise caution in what you say and avoid adding fuel to the fire. Don’t try to “win” when it comes to social media. It is a poor place to win arguments, and, besides, you can’t win an argument against crazy. Only engage in a back-and-forth communication on social media if you are sure that the person or organization engaging with you or your business is a genuine stakeholder who has a credible point of view. If you do plan to engage at an individual level, consider taking it offline by inviting the angry individual to connect with you on a 1-on-1 level.
So, if a viral moment occurs while you’re in the throes of a crisis, take a breath, get the facts, and use social media to your best advantage. Communicate directly with those who matter most; fill the vacuum with facts delivered in a smart, logical way; and engage with prominent opinion formers to ensure your message comes across exactly as you intend it.
Kith facilitates crisis preparedness workshops that will help your company attain the clarity, trust, and speed you need to respond confidently – no dithering! – to any crisis. We’d be happy to have a conversation about how we can help your company be ready to chart an effective course to reputation protection.
