Your business has worked hard to gain a following on many social networks. With social networks being a top priority with communication with your customers, you wouldn’t want to do anything to that would disrupt that following. That is why this blog post will be giving you tips on how to best manage your company’s social media during a national crisis.
Scheduled Posts
Many businesses today are using a program that automates social media shares and posts. Even companies that deal with construction equipment rentals sometimes use this automation. The manager of this program is able to schedule out tweets days or weeks in advance. This creates a huge problem when a national crisis occurs. As soon as news of a national crisis occurs, immediately review your business’s scheduled posts. There have been many accounts where some businesses have not done this and have been slammed for posting inappropriate things during a time of need. Try out Hootsuite or Tweetdeck.
Share Responsibly
After you have stopped the automation or screened the posts, you can begin to respond to the situation if you and your company deem it appropriate. Typically, the company would appoint a single employee to take charge of the social media during a crisis. Things to consider about the crisis before you post anything on your business’s social platform include:
- Does it directly affect your business?
- Does it affect the business’s customers?
- Is the post appropriate for the particular situation?
Monitor the Situation
When it comes to sharing details about the situation, you must remember that most of the details that come out in the first few hours aren’t always 100% accurate. Do your business a favor and try not to share this information with the chance of it being untrue. Also be monitoring when you feel the crisis has passed and it’s safe to resume the normal postings.
Know When To Be Silent
Sometimes it may be more appropriate for your company to be silent on social media for a day or two. This will ensure that nothing is said inappropriately and your company doesn’t mistakenly release a new ad to promote a product. Use your common sense and judgment to best analyze the scene to decide if this option is best for you. If you are a company that deals with alcohol rehab treatment centers, responding on social media to a tornado in Oklahoma may not be a good fit for you.
Unfortunately, crises are going to happen. With these tips, your business will be prepared for them and will be able to react accordingly. If you have any other tips you’d like to share, or your business has personal experience with this situation, please let us know in the comments below.
Photo Credit: Flickr User – Jim Linwood
