This is a summary of a post more fully explored at Public relations and managing reputation.
Social media is a double-edged sword for crisis communication. On the one hand, it allows issues to be identified, monitored and managed extremely quickly. It also allows for real-time interaction with stakeholders, providing a mechanism through which disinformation ’spot fires’ can be put out before they turn into raging bushfires.
But that’s the good news! The flip side is that, as Laurel Papworth has observed, social media has a ripple effect. It allows for news to spread - yes, that burning metaphor again - like wildfire. And nothing sells quite like bad news.
These fiery themes were all-pervasive at a Frocomm crisis communication and social media summit. Other key take-outs included:
- having social media guidelines in place before engaging fully through social media and, as per any crisis situation, being as prepared as possible
- knowing who the influencers on opinion are likely to be and proactively forming positive relationships with them (as they might assist in facilitating and optimising message clarity through the stress and disinformation of a crisis ‘bushfire’)
- not necessarily immediately jumping in to a situation that looks like a crisis: use social media tools to monitor and assess the situation’s genesis and then determine an appropriate response
- that the first six hours of the ’situation’ are critical in determining what the best response will be.
Further salient points that the range of articulate and well qualified speakers made included:
- Social media is a part of communication, not separate from it, so tactics such as traditional media and direct stakeholder communication need to be integrated with the social media dimension
- A crisis is no place to learn about social media;
- The importance of discipline.
Leadership
Leadership was a sub-text of many aspects of the summit.
It was apparent in the mere fact that a relatively recent (but now pretty much accepted part of the professional communication tool box) phenomena such as social media was being discussed as a vital part of such a sensitive process as crisis communication.
It was apparent in the assertion that engaging with stakeholders takes fortitude and strong leadership.
And it was apparent in the notion that by standing tall and taking responsibility for an organisation’s actions (and that includes failings and faults) takes leadership and vision, as a short-term crisis may in fact galvanise an organisation to transform itself into an entity more in line with stakeholder expectations. This, as I constantly reiterate, is likely to help an organisation and its stakeholders form more mutually beneficial, and hence sustainable, long term relationships.
So, what are your thoughts on information in this post? Is social media being used actively enough by business to manage a crisis? Can you give some good and bad examples?
