social media crisis management

CRISIS MANAGEMENTAND SOCIAL MEDIA

@JackiSchroder

CRISISA triggering event that creates a signicant disruption to an organization, putting its reputation at risk.

Product Recalls Natural Disasters Emotional Risk Financial Risk

CRISISCreates a large degree of uncertainty that stakeholders are drawn to reducing through communication.

Stakeholders need to know what happened in a crisis situation and how it will be repaired in order to feel reassured.

Generating a great span of emotions, crises reduce stakeholders’ ability to process information by up to 80%.

Clear, specic, and timely communication is key.

“CONTROL THE MEDIA CONTROL THE MESSAGE”

The crisis communication mantra:

“CONTROL THE MEDIA CONTROL THE MESSAGE”

is now NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.

The crisis communication mantra:

Identifying warning signs

Enacting effective strategic responses

Responding quickly

Crisis managers continue to be faced with the same tasks of:

THIS IS A NEW ERAOF COMMUNICATION.

the meaning of “quick” has changed.

Hastened by social media,

So, how can we adapt to this new mode of communication?

Use social media to your advantage

First to respond.

Follow up regularly.

Feedback collection.of Crisis CommunicationTHE THREE F’s

Be rst to discuss the issue at hand.Organizations are viewed as more credible when they reporta crisis on their owned channels before the news media.

If info isn’t from a credible source, someone else will create it.

Lack of response allows for rumors to form & assume the worst.

Follow up with details as you receive them.Increased communication reduces uncertainty. Follow up withshort announcements on social media and links to additional information on your website.

Collect feedback from your stakeholders.Update them frequently and modify the message based on the public’s reaction on social media. An appropriate brand voice is imperative to receiving respect and reassuring your audience.

Use an authentic voice. Be responsive & understanding to stakeholders.

Dene Risk Levels

CREATING A COMMUNICATION PLAN

Create Response Plan

Crisis Prevention

Dene Risk Levels

HIGH MEDIUM LOWContact from media outlet

Comment from Social Inuencer

Bullying other fans

Violating intellectual property rights

Expired product on shelves

Ad criticismAd criticism

Threatened contacting Better Business Bureau

Attempting to rally others to threaten legal action

Threatened legal action

Animal testing

Product reactionsProduct reactions, including allergies

Inammatory religious or political posts

Factually incorrect statements

Customer feedback

Offensive or obscene comments

Negative pricing feedback

Product discontinuProduct discontinuation

Create Response Action Plan

HIGH MEDIUM LOWCommunity ManagerProposes Response

Brand ReviewsResponse

Brand Legal / CustomerService Reviews Response

Community ManagerPosts Reviewed Response

Community ManagerProposes Response

Community ManagerResponds

Brand ReviewsResponse

Community ManagerPosts Reviewed Response

Crisis Prevention

PRE-WRITE MESSAGINGPreparing responses for a variety of crises allowsorganizations to respond rapidly at the onset of the crisis.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOYAL FANSWith those positive experiences in mind, they willcome to your defense during a time of crisis.

When Social Media

CURTAILS A CRISISBrands who were First to respond,Followed up regularly, and collected Feedback.

Healthy Brands

February 2013

When an engine re left a ship powerless and waterless for days, the organization was the rst to report the situation on Facebook, continued to follow up regularly, and provided a phone number where concerned family and friends could learn more information.

Healthy Brands

July 2013

When Flight 345 experienced a nose-rst crash at New York’s La Guardia Airport, the organization was there rst to announce the situation on Facebook and Twitter and provide consistent updates as to the status of those on the ight.

Healthy Brands

September 2013

When a Dunkin Donuts ad running in Thailand with a woman painted in “black face” went viral, consumers ed to air their concerns on social media. The organization responded quickly to those concerned with an apology and assurance that the ad was being removed from distribution.

Healthy Brands

When Social Media

CAUSES A CRISISDisgruntled employees andTwitter handle mishaps

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

April 2009

Domino’s found itself in a crisis when employees recorded and uploaded to YouTube a video where they disgustingly altered a sandwich before it was delivered.

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

February 2011

An accidental tweet was issued by the ofcial @RedCross Twitter handle “Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogsh Head’s Midas Touch beer… when we drink wedo it right #gettingslizzerd.”

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

October 2012

An accidental tweet was issued by the ofcial @KitchenAidUSA Twitter handle during a presidential debate saying, “Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! ‘She died 3 days b4 he became president’ #nbcpolitics.”

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

How did they recover?Responding quickly with an ofcialresponse and continued follow up– often including a promise to remove those people responsible for the posts.

When Social Media

ESCALATES A CRISISConsumers share and bandtogether for a cause

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

April 2011

When 77 million users accounts were hacked, the organization did not alert their consumers until 8 days later, continued to provide very little information to consumers, and did not respond or adapt any messaging to the consumers’ concerns.

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

October 2011

After adding a new $5 fee per month for consumers who use debit cards, consumers rallied on social media complaining, signing petitions, and encouraging others to do the same. The organization decided to repeal the fee based on the amount of negative feedback they were receiving.

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

July 2012

After issuing a statement that could possibly be interpreted as anti-gay marriage, the organization received intense backlash on social media. There are allegations that they attempted to curb the backlash by creating fake Facebook accounts to add the voice of advocates to the page and those most certainlyignored the conversignored the conversation on Twitter.

Brands Needing a Band-Aid

How did they recover?Listening to your consumers and free giveaways usually help, as does havinga strong product that people still love.

Being prepared and proactive about crisis is critical to a strong social media plan because...

Mark Twain

“THE PUBLIC IS THE ONLYCRITIC WHOSE OPINION ISWORTH ANYTHING AT ALL.”

SOURCESCoombs, W.T. (2012). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding. (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Jordan-Meier, J. (2011). The Four Stages of Highly Effective Crisis Management: How to Manage the Media in the Digital Age. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Pappas, J. (2011, November 28). Personal interview.

Sweetser, K.D., & Metzgar, E. (2007). Communicating during a crisis: Use of blogs as relationship management tool. Public Relations Review, 33, 340-342.

Better. Brand. Experiences.