Proof that you need to be prepared
Social media crises are on the rise, but 76% of those that occurred since 2001 could have been diminished or averted with the proper social media investments, according to a report by Altimeter Group released on Wednesday.
For the report, entitled “Social Business Readiness: How Advanced Companies Prepare Internally,” Altimeter Group analyzed 50 social media crises that have occurred since 2001 and found that those reaching mainstream media have risen steadily through the past decade, with just 1-2 incidents per year in the first five years and a total of 10 social media crises last year alone.
This quote, from a Mashable Business article by Erica Swallow, proves that social media crises are occurring with exponentially larger frequency.
What does this mean to you? First off, you’ve got to get involved in social media. It’s a common misconception that if you aren’t using social media, you can’t encounter a crisis in that domain. Truth is though, that the only thing ignoring social media does is make you more vulnerable to and less prepared for crisis management.
As you’re becoming involved, train a team (whether it’s one person or 50). Make sure every member knows both the main objectives of your social media use and the major no-no’s before they touch an actual account. Above all, make sure you have 24/7 access to ALL social media accounts. No matter how careful you are, at some point an errant post will make its way into the public eye, and you want to be able to swat it whether it’s at noon or 2 a.m.
At this point it’s up to you which direction you want to push your social media use in, be it a focus on marketing, customer service, networking, or all of the above and more. If you’re still feeling lost at this point, take a look at what others in both your industry and others are doing. Don’t copy their campaigns to a T, but don’t be afraid to learn and use that information to your advantage.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/