Managing a crisis on social media

Social media platforms are fast paced – offering the perfect conditions for a crisis situation to spiral out of control.

Here, Account Manager Keira Pearson looks at how managing crises has evolved and the best ways to prepare yourself for a crisis that erupts on social media.

 

No organisation is immune from a crisis – an event that negatively impacts its reputation or operations.

These crises can often unravel from a topic of debate or a trending subject on social media. At this stage, it is not yet a crisis, but an issue. These are are strategic, operational or reputational risks which might fester or be triggered into a crisis.

Overreacting to an issue could create a crisis, especially if the issue falls foul of the Streisand Effect – an online phenomenon in which an attempt to hide or remove information, such as a photo, video or story, results in the wider spread of the information in question.

A crisis is a time of intense difficulty or danger, when a difficult or important decision must be made.

What is crisis communication?

Crisis communication is an area of PR designed to protect an individual, company or organisation facing a public challenge to its reputation.

As crisis communicators, our job is to collect, process and distribute information as required to address a crisis situation.

When it comes to dealing with any crisis, there are no right answers. As PR professionals, we can however, offer expert advice using previous experience, preparation and confidence.

How has crisis communication changed since the introduction of social media?

Before social media was a widely used source of information, the only way a crisis was publicised was through traditional media such as newspapers, radio and TV. This also meant reporters at the media organisations were able to run the narrative.

Watching a crisis unravel on social media is a spectator sport, where anyone can influence opinion. With social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Threads, information travels fast and is at everyone’s fingertips.

It means the public has access to updates as they happen – they don’t need to wait for the news bulletin at 6pm or for the newspaper to be printed the next day.

They can also comment on, debate and share information, swaying opinions and offering lots of differing perspectives along the way.

What used to be the “golden hour” for brands in a crisis, is now the “critical 15”. This means companies and organisations have just 15 minutes to respond to a crisis on social media, making it one of many reasons you should always be prepared.

How to be prepared for a social media crisis

Everyone is at risk of being involved within a crisis situation. When a crisis arises, it is vital you already know who will be dealing with it and how you will all communicate between yourselves.

You should have a crisis plan in place that all those people are aware of – and have a copy they can refer to when needed. You should also have template statements drafted for different types of scenarios.

You need to know where people might discuss a crisis involving your brand and be ready to communicate on all platforms.

If your brand does not have a presence on a platform where your brand might be discussed, how will you monitor an issue? And how will you respond on that platform so those people feel heard?

Brands who don’t communicate attract criticism.

What to do in a crisis

Pause all external comms as soon as a crisis arises. This is the vital first step you need to take.

All scheduled social media posts should be cancelled and any email campaigns or press releases you have planned should not be sent out. You do not want it to look like your brand is not focusing their full attention on managing the crisis.

Always issue regular progress reports during a crisis. Remember that “we have no update at this time” is an update. If your brand goes silent, it looks as though you are hiding and waiting for the crisis to disappear.

Equally, there will be a lot of noise on social media so you will need to decide what to respond to and what to ignore.

Mistakes and human errors can be forgiven long-term – but cover-ups, denial and deception cannot. If your brand is at fault, accept responsibility, apologise and offer a way that your brand will prevent a similar situation from recurring. Do not lie or try to deflect blame.

Finally, ensure your messaging is clear, visual and relatable and that your communications are true to your values.

“In a crisis, you have three choices. You could do less than is expected of you, you can do what is expected of you, or you can do more than what is expected of you. A crisis is a spotlight. All hands are on deck. It’s a moment to demonstrate your values and lead by example.”
Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb.

Need some support to make sure you’re prepared for potential crises and your brand can handle being in the spotlight?

Our PR experts are well-versed in crisis communications, as are our former journalists who can predict the next steps the media will take in their coverage. Call us today on 01473 276126 or email us – we’re here to help.

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