Social media make companies more vulnerable when a crisis hits. This is why these situations need to be addressed promptly and effectively. The question is what to do once you have identified a social media crisis? Do you stay quiet? Do you respond? When and what do you say? First of all, do not panic. Below we have shared some tips on managing a crisis on social media.

  1. Be Prepared: With the rise of digital media, brand and crisis management is becoming a top priority for most companies. Because of the ease of online channels, it only takes seconds to spread the news and minutes for consumers to form opinions which is why it is very important to be prepared for a crisis in advance. Brands can do so by having a communication process that connects everyone in their business.
  2. Templates: The first few hours are very critical during a crisis. It is understandable that you want to release a statement once you have all the facts and figures but staying quiet on social media can bring more harm. The key is to keep everyone in the loop with frequent updates so that your users know that you’re doing everything in your power to solve the problem. If you don’t have all the information, you can prepare a standard template in advance which says: “We are currently looking at this situation”.
  3. Social Media Rules: Communicating during a crisis can be daunting. Companies can use the Facebook imprint feature or provide clear rules on how to communicate on the company’s profile or your own. Having a set of rules in place will provide you with a clear structure. To ensure that employees are following company best practices, it’s recommended to create a formal communication guideline.
  4. Inform your employees: One of the biggest nightmares of a social media manager is when a crisis is slowing down and a colleague or another department publishes new content that re-ignites the situation. Moreover, Keeping employees motivated and informed during the time of crisis should be a top priority on the management teams’ agenda. If the internal staff feels they are in the dark on an issue and cannot address rumors they hear, there will be a significant decrease in trust and morale throughout the entire organization.

By addressing a social media crisis in a timely and transparent manner will not only help preserve your company’s reputation but confirm yet again that you are a business that cares about its customers and is willing to do everything possible to make them happy. Visit our website www.midas-pr.com today for more information or get in touch with us by email.

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