By Evan Nierman, founder and CEO of Red Banyan, a global crisis PR firm. Co-author of The Cancel Culture Curse and author of Amazon bestseller Crisis Averted.
Social media is fast, direct and interactive, all reasons why the medium is so effective when it comes to crisis communications and crisis management. But the same qualities that make it great can also cause big problems, which is why this double-edged sword must be handled with care.
The crisis communications playing field has been transformed by the rise of social media. No more is it a huge challenge to get the right information to the right people at the right time. Social media has made it easy to reach stakeholders and share important messages in the blink of an eye. Social media tools also allow organizations to monitor online conversations so they can keep tabs on stakeholder concerns and respond accordingly.
On the flip side, the ease of reach and interactivity combined with the lightning-fast speed of social media messaging also pose inherent risks. Organizations that don’t prepare thoughtful messaging ahead of an emergency run the risk of sparking a secondary crisis by sharing the wrong information, using the wrong tone or targeting the wrong people.
Social media is an excellent tool for fostering informal online conversations that can help organizations build their brands, instill trust and improve their perception of being accessible and authentic. However, it is important to remember that negative news can travel faster on social media than in traditional media, a dynamic that could become nightmarish for those who are not prepared.
The enormously fast pace of transmission on social media can also result in unanticipated crisis exposure, limited or lack of control over messaging and a reduction in credibility, depending on the messaging. A crisis can also escalate faster if the wrong information is released and then shared online.
The takeaway? Social media is an excellent form of communication that can have devastating results if it is not properly managed.
Social Media Makes Social Action Possible
Social media operates in real time, which is why it is such an effective tool for crisis response. Online discussion platforms can help businesses or brands take the temperature of what is going on and help determine if their actions are calming or exacerbating the situation.
Sending messages to stakeholders is also fast and easy with the latest and greatest interactive tools on the market. And it has also become easier to analyze the information that is available so gauging the results is easier than ever. Online discussions in real time create a new dynamic that was never before available.
The Need For Speed
When an emergency occurs, the effectiveness of your crisis response usually hinges on speed. The connectivity of social media makes it the ideal tool for rapid response. With the click of a mouse, you can share directives, provide emergency updates and relay critical information that likely could not be disseminated in any other way.
The collaborative nature of social media can also be helpful. Providing information and gathering feedback can be an excellent way to gauge the effectiveness of your communications and whether you are hitting your target audiences.
However, responding without careful planning is likely to have the opposite effect. A speedy response without a plan in place can be disastrous, so careful preparation is essential.
Social media can amplify the reach of a response and marshal assistance from sources that would otherwise not be reachable without the internet. A quick crisis response can limit damage and facilitate a quicker recovery.
But responding quickly without a solid plan in place is a risky option: If you react too quickly in the wrong way, a poorly planned message can spread like wildfire and wreak havoc. Planning ahead is especially important when it comes to using social media during crises so that the message and information you share convey the information you want to disseminate with the correct tone and angle.
A crisis response plan should consider which stakeholders need to be notified in case of an emergency, who needs to be contacted first and what information is going to be shared. Posting on social media should always be done thoughtfully. Share with care and post with purpose are two golden rules that will help alleviate problems.
Clarity In Crises
The instant feedback made possible by the real-time component of social media is a game changer. It can provide crisis managers a unique barometer to gauge whether their communications are effective, how stakeholders are reacting and what more they may need to do to accomplish their goal by providing timely analytical insights.
Crises professionals can monitor hot spots or flashpoints as they emerge and monitor evolving trends through the use of social media.
However, it is important to remember that comments and feedback on social media are sometimes skewed and conversations can be colored by perspective or other factors.
Overall, the use of social media during crises presents a unique opportunity to obtain real-time feedback and insight, a lightning-fast way to disseminate information and an effective way to keep track of emerging trends and developments. Responding to any communications on social media should be done thoughtfully and with purpose.
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