Top tips for taking control of a social media crisis

Social media has meant that businesses can expose their brand and products to wider audiences in a more authentic and relatable way. Building awareness of an organization and its public perception has never been easier, but without a solid marketing strategy, it is now easier to become involved in a crisis that can destroy your reputation as quickly as it is built.

Top tips for taking control of a social media crisis

Social media has meant that businesses can expose their brand and products to wider audiences in a more authentic and relatable way. Building awareness of an organization and its public perception has never been easier, but without a solid marketing strategy, it is now easier to become involved in a crisis that can destroy your reputation as quickly as it built.

What is a crisis?

A crisis is a negative event outside your usual operations, with the potential for a long-lasting impact on your brand reputation. Crises often spread rapidly across social media, amplifying their effects and making them harder to control.

Social media has meant that stakeholders can now communicate with a brand or company. It has changed their expectations of how they expect a company to respond. Stakeholders can see each other’s ideas and experiences and social media allows them to share their feedback publicly.

Stakeholders are more aware and they have access to more information and they have higher expectations than ever before. Whether it is environmental, political or ethical, organizations are under more pressure to not make mistakes.

A crisis could start via any of these channels, and not necessarily on an owned social media platform, like Facebook or Twitter.

• A statement by a spokesperson.
• An article in the media.
• Social media influencers.
• Online trolls.
• Industry competitors.
• How you manage customer service enquiries.

Examples of Social Media Crises

Social media crises can arise from various sources, including customer complaints, employee misconduct, or even a simple mistake. Here are some examples of social media crises that have affected businesses:

• شكاوى العملاء: A customer posts a negative review on social media, which quickly goes viral and damages the company’s reputation. This can lead to a significant loss of trust among social media users and potential customers.
• Employee Misconduct: An employee posts a racist or sexist comment on social media, which is shared widely and sparks outrage. Such incidents can severely tarnish a brand’s image and lead to calls for boycotts.
• Account Hacking: A company’s social media account is hacked, and the hacker posts malicious content that damages the company’s reputation. This can cause confusion and panic among followers, and the company must act swiftly to regain control.
• Misinterpreted Posts: A company’s social media post is misinterpreted or taken out of context, leading to widespread criticism and backlash. This highlights the importance of clear and thoughtful communication in social media posts.

By understanding these examples, businesses can better prepare for potential social media crises and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

Preparing for a social media crisis with social media monitoring tools

Preparing for a social media crisis is the best form of defense. And being aware of your digital footprint will help reduce the fallout from any social media disaster. Setting clear social media marketing goals can help guide your crisis preparation efforts and ensure that your response aligns with your overall marketing objectives. Here are our top tips for preparing for a crisis.

• Use social media monitoring tools. Social media analytics tools like BrandMention and Oracle will give you an insight into your brand perception. You can check spikes in negative sentiment in real-time that could indicate a problem and allow you to address any issues before it escalates.
• Put in place a staff social media policy. A comprehensive policy will set guidelines and expectations for your staff using social media platforms. This should cover all expectations and guidelines for members of staff that use social media channels in a personal or professional capacity.
• Have a crisis management plan and response strategy in place. You will need to act quickly in a crisis before you lose control of your social channels. Your plan will include guidelines on responses, staff responsibilities, and internal & external communications. More than a quarter of crises will go international within an hour due to the lack of a comprehensive social media crisis plan.
• Set community guidelines. Having set guidelines that visitors should accept. These will allow some control over the content they post, and the behaviors they exhibit. Managing users who breach community guidelines is easier as you have a clear policy.
• Have a shutdown process. On very rare occasions an organization will have to make the decision whether to leave their channels open or looking at the possibility of closing them temporarily. Shutting down one or more platforms is not a decision that should be undertaken lightly.
• Simulate your strategy. By testing your social media crisis plan against different scenarios it will prepare staff.  Adjustments to your strategy should be undertaken if needed.

Social Media Listening and Monitoring

Social media listening and monitoring are crucial components of effective social media marketing. By listening to and monitoring social media conversations, businesses can:

• Identify Potential Crises Detect issues before they escalate into full-blown crises. Early detection allows for prompt action and resolution.
• Respond Quickly: Address customer complaints and concerns in real-time, demonstrating responsiveness and care.
• Gather Feedback: Collect valuable insights and feedback from customers, which can inform product development and marketing strategies.
• Track Brand Mentions: Monitor how often and in what context your brand is mentioned, helping you understand public perception.
• Monitor Competitors: Keep an eye on competitors and industry trends to stay ahead in the market.

Social media listening and monitoring can be done using various tools, including social media monitoring software, keyword tracking, and social media analytics. These tools provide businesses with the data needed to make informed decisions and improve their social media strategy.

How to manage a social media crisis management

How digital marketers and social media managers handle a crisis can be the difference between unrepairable damage to your reputation and your reputation remaining salvageable. A skilled social media manager can be instrumental in navigating a crisis, utilizing their expertise to manage communications and maintain brand reputation.

Use social media crisis management to determine if it is really a crisis – stakeholders can ask tough questions and sometimes these can escalate into a discussion. It is important to define what your organization deems to be a crisis to reduce the chances of an overreaction.

1. Assess the situation. How many users have left comment? What is the sentiment like… is it negative? Are there key influencers involved?  Is it in the media? Knowing your current situation will help you plan for a resolution.
2. Communicate internally and externally.  You should update all all external stakeholders regularly with transparent information containing factual information. Communicating with internal staff will ensure everyone is on the same page and reduces the opportunity for misinformation to spread.
3. Deploy goodwill ambassadors. If you have brand advocates or influencers you can call upon to help manage a crisis. Users may trust them more and they are able to amplify your core statements further. You should brief brand advocates on the crisis and communications strategy before before any deployment. In some cases, social media advertising can be used to counteract negative publicity by promoting positive content and messages.
4. Know when to pause a conversation. Conversations during a social media crisis and responses to any official statements can become heated and involve many emotions. Do not get involved with conversations or arguments that take you away from your crisis strategy, stick to the facts available.
5. Leave comments alone. Removing negative comments is seen as a form of censorship and gives the impression you have something to hide. Only delete content that breaches your company and platform community guidelines.
6. Silence. may not be the best policy when it comes to a social media crisis. Be timely with replies and updates. Most of all, be honest and sincere with your responses but stick to facts and never respond with emotion.
7. Know your spokesperson. Spokespersons are direct messengers of your company. Ensure your public spokesperson is able to keep to facts and not bring the company further into disrepute.

Measuring Success with Analytics

Measuring the success of social media marketing campaigns is crucial to understanding their effectiveness and making data-driven decisions. Here are some key metrics to track:

• مقاييس المشاركة: Track likes, comments, shares, and other forms of engagement to gauge how well your content resonates with your audience.
• Reach Metrics: Measure impressions and views to understand the extent of your content’s visibility.
• Conversion Metrics: Monitor website traffic, sales, and other conversion-related metrics to assess the impact of your social media efforts on your business goals.
• Sentiment Metrics: Analyze the sentiment of social media posts to determine whether the feedback is positive, negative, or neutral.
• Follower Growth Metrics: Track new followers and follower loss to evaluate the growth of your social media presence.

By tracking these metrics, businesses can gain insights into their social media performance and make adjustments to their strategy to improve results. Social media analytics tools can help businesses track these metrics and provide detailed reports and insights, ensuring that their social media marketing campaigns are effective and aligned with their marketing goals.

When the dust has settled – what happens after the social media crisis on social media platforms

Now is a good time to review how your crisis management strategy and the performance of your crisis management team. Reviewing the effectiveness of your social media campaigns during the crisis can provide valuable insights for future improvements.

Here are some questions you may want to ask to ensure your future strategy is as bulletproof as can be:

• Did the strategy work?
• What went right, and what went wrong?
• What did we learn?
• Do we need additional steps in the process?
• What was the feedback from each department, do they tell the same story?

Understanding how your target audience responded to the crisis can help tailor your future strategies to better meet their expectations.

Use this time to have a debrief to discuss the experience. Involve all stakeholders and your crisis management team. Consider any extra steps that you should include within your strategy and what would improve it. Take this time to make sure you have a good social media strategy in place.

Examples of Social Media Crises

Social media crises can arise from various sources, including customer complaints, employee misconduct, or even a simple mistake. Here are some examples of social media crises that have affected businesses:

• شكاوى العملاء: A customer posts a negative review on social media, which quickly goes viral and damages the company’s reputation. This can lead to a significant loss of trust among social media users and potential customers.
• Employee Misconduct: An employee posts a racist or sexist comment on social media, which is shared widely and sparks outrage. Such incidents can severely tarnish a brand’s image and lead to calls for boycotts.
• Account Hacking: A company’s social media account is hacked, and the hacker posts malicious content that damages the company’s reputation. This can cause confusion and panic among followers, and the company must act swiftly to regain control.
• Misinterpreted Posts: A company’s social media post is misinterpreted or taken out of context, leading to widespread criticism and backlash. This highlights the importance of clear and thoughtful communication in social media posts.

By understanding these examples, businesses can better prepare for potential social media crises and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

Preparing for a social media crisis with social media monitoring tools

Preparing for a social media crisis is the best form of defense. And being aware of your digital footprint will help reduce the fallout from any social media disaster. Setting clear social media marketing goals can help guide your crisis preparation efforts and ensure that your response aligns with your overall marketing objectives. Here are our top tips for preparing for a crisis.

• Use social media monitoring tools. Social media analytics tools like BrandMention and Oracle will give you an insight into your brand perception. You can check spikes in negative sentiment in real-time that could indicate a problem and allow you to address any issues before it escalates.
• Put in place a staff social media policy. A comprehensive policy will set guidelines and expectations for your staff using social media platforms. This should cover all expectations and guidelines for members of staff that use social media channels in a personal or professional capacity.
• Have a crisis management plan and response strategy in place. You will need to act quickly in a crisis before you lose control of your social channels. Your plan will include guidelines on responses, staff responsibilities, and internal & external communications. More than a quarter of crises will go international within an hour due to the lack of a comprehensive social media crisis plan.
• Set community guidelines. Having set guidelines that visitors should accept. These will allow some control over the content they post, and the behaviors they exhibit. Managing users that breach community guidelines is easier as you have a clear policy.
• Have a shutdown process. On very rare occasions an organization will have to make the decision whether to leave their channels open or looking at the possibility of closing them temporarily. Shutting down one or more platforms is not a decision that should be undertaken lightly.
• Simulate your strategy. By testing your social media crisis plan against different scenarios it will prepare staff.  Adjustments to your strategy should be undertaken if needed.

Social Media Listening and Monitoring

Social media listening and monitoring are crucial components of effective social media marketing. By listening to and monitoring social media conversations, businesses can:

• Identify Potential Crises: Detect issues before they escalate into full-blown crises. Early detection allows for prompt action and resolution.
• Respond Quickly: Address customer complaints and concerns in real-time, demonstrating responsiveness and care.
• Gather Feedback: Collect valuable insights and feedback from customers, which can inform product development and marketing strategies.
• Track Brand Mentions: Monitor how often and in what context your brand is mentioned, helping you understand public perception.
• Monitor Competitors: Keep an eye on competitors and industry trends to stay ahead in the market.

Social media listening and monitoring can be done using various tools, including social media monitoring software, keyword tracking, and social media analytics. These tools provide businesses with the data needed to make informed decisions and improve their social media strategy.

How to manage a social media crisis management

How digital marketers and social media managers handle a crisis can be the difference between unrepairable damage to your reputation, and your reputation remaining salvageable. A skilled social media manager can be instrumental in navigating a crisis, utilizing their expertise to manage communications and maintain brand reputation.

Use social media crisis management to determine if it is really a crisis – stakeholders can ask tough questions and sometimes these can escalate into a discussion. It is important to define what your organization deems to be a crisis to reduce the chances of an overreaction.

1. Assess the situation. How many users have left comments? What is the sentiment like – is it negative? Are there key influencers involved?  Is it in the media? Knowing your current situation will help plan for a resolution.
2. Communicate internally and externally.  You should update all all external stakeholders regularly with transparent information containing factual information. Communicating with internal staff will ensure everyone is on the same page and reduces the opportunity for misinformation to spread.
3. Deploy goodwill ambassadors. If you have brand advocates or influencers you can call upon to help manage a crisis. Users may trust them more and they are able to amplify your core statements further. You should brief brand advocates on the crisis and communications strategy before before any deployment. In some cases, social media advertising can be used to counteract negative publicity by promoting positive content and messages.
4. Know when to pause a conversation. Conversations during a social media crisis and responses to any official statements can become heated and involve many emotions. Do not get involved with conversations or arguments that take you away from your crisis strategy, stick to the facts available.
5. Leave comments alone. Removing negative comments is seen as a form of censorship and gives the impression you have something to hide. Only delete content that breaches your company and platform community guidelines.
6. Silence. may not be the best policy when it comes to a social media crisis. Be timely with replies and updates. Most of all, be honest and sincere with your responses but stick to facts and never respond with emotion.
7. Know your spokesperson. Spokespersons are direct messengers of your company. Ensure your public spokesperson is able to keep to facts and not bring the company further into disrepute.

Measuring Success with Analytics

Measuring the success of social media marketing campaigns is crucial to understanding their effectiveness and making data-driven decisions. Here are some key metrics to track:

• مقاييس المشاركة: Track likes, comments, shares, and other forms of engagement to gauge how well your content resonates with your audience.
• Reach Metrics: Measure impressions and views to understand the extent of your content’s visibility.
• Conversion Metrics: Monitor website traffic, sales, and other conversion-related metrics to assess the impact of your social media efforts on your business goals.
• Sentiment Metrics: Analyze the sentiment of social media posts to determine whether the feedback is positive, negative, or neutral.
• Follower Growth Metrics: Track new followers and follower loss to evaluate the growth of your social media presence.

By tracking these metrics, businesses can gain insights into their social media performance and make adjustments to their strategy to improve results. Social media analytics tools can help businesses track these metrics and provide detailed reports and insights, ensuring that their social media marketing campaigns are effective and aligned with their marketing goals.

When the dust has settled – what happens after the social media crisis on social media platforms

Now is a good time to review how your crisis management strategy and the performance of your crisis management team. Reviewing the effectiveness of your social media campaigns during the crisis can provide valuable insights for future improvements.

Here are some questions you may want to ask to ensure your future strategy is as bulletproof as can be:

• Did the strategy work?
• What went right, and what went wrong?
• What did we learn?
• Do we need additional steps in the process?
• What was the feedback from each department, do they tell the same story?

Understanding how your target audience responded to the crisis can help tailor your future strategies to better meet their expectations.

Use this time to have a debrief to discuss the experience. Involve all stakeholders and your crisis management team. Consider any extra steps that you should include within your strategy and what would improve it. Take this time to make sure you have a good social media strategy in place.

Online Reputation Crisis Management: A Case Study

كلير بومونت

تتمتع كلير بخبرة كبيرة في العلاقات العامة الرقمية والتسويق واستراتيجية التسويق عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، وتقود استراتيجية العلاقات العامة وتقديمها في Igniyte عبر العديد من البلدان والقطاعات.

بفضل خبرتها التي تمتد إلى 16 عامًا في مجال التسويق والاتصالات والعلاقات العامة، فإنها تدير بسلاسة جميع عناصر العلاقات العامة عبر الإنترنت B2B وB2C للحصول على تغطية إيجابية عالية المستوى لعملائنا في وسائل الإعلام الإقليمية والوطنية والدولية والمتخصصة عبر الإنترنت - كما أنها تساعد في ضمان إدارة أي مخاطر والتخفيف منها.