Social media has become deeply entwined with crisis management, making both monitoring and responding to issues significantly easier, while simultaneously providing new opportunities for trouble. As is the case with nearly everything though, being prepared is half the battle. To that note, the Adland Upstart blog recently provided a list of how to be ready for “when the Twit hits the fan”:
- Be proactive! Brainstorm worst case scenarios and develop planned responses that include getting advice from relevant authorities in areas (ie. Police, Councillors, Support Groups, Industry bodies, etc). It’s always good to build a relationship with these authorities too. Develop a document which can be accessed quickly in case of emergency so everyone is clear on the plan of action
- Establish presences on Facebook, Twitter, forums, etc before a crisis so you already have a base community that is receptive to your brand to talk to without needing to build a community during the crisis. This will allow you to be a part of the conversations, not just respond to them which will build credibility as you will be seen as an authority and can potentially avoid problems blowing up
- Create a “dark site” which is a website that is not live but can be pushed live if a crisis arises and the brand needs to respond quickly. The dark site should have your pre-planned responses ready to go and approved by all relevant stakeholders so there are no unnecessary delays. This is such an important point as time is of the essence when a crisis is unfolding and immediate responses are crucial
- Get C-level employees aware of your response plans and make sure they understand the channels so they are confident in the actions if they need to be put into action
- It’s important to involve your legal team throughout the whole planning process so they understand the nature of social media and the importance of fast responses
- Don’t rely on listening service to pick up a potential crisis – they are too slow to provide information
With the right practices in place, the concerns of upset Tweeters or angry Facebook bloggers can be addressed before they spark a wildfire.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/