Crisis Communication on Social Media

A crisis on social media can happen to anyone, but don't worry – with a good plan, you'll be well prepared. First, you should have a communication plan. You can think of this plan as a kind of "tone-of-voice paper" where you define exactly how you want to communicate in different situations.

Crisis Communication: Good Preparation Is Everything

• Establish communication guidelines: Think ahead about what tone you want to strike. Should it be calming, factual, or apologetic? This document helps you stay consistent and avoid reacting incorrectly in the heat of the moment.
• Clarify responsibilities: Who is responsible for communication? Clearly define who will handle crisis communication. This could be a specific person or a team.
• Internal coordination: Make sure you're in close contact with corporate communications and management. Clarify what information you're allowed to release and what you're not. What are the guidelines you need to follow?
• Adjust response times: In times of crisis, you need to respond faster and more frequently. Regularly check the platforms so you don't miss anything and can respond to comments immediately. A fast response cycle prevents negative comments from spreading uncontrollably.

Speed and Availability for Good Crisis Communication

In times of crisis, it's important to react quickly. Here are some points you should consider:

• Ensure availability: Coordinate exactly when and how you can be reached. In a crisis, you should respond faster than usual.
• Regular monitoring: Check the platforms and tools more frequently so you don't miss anything. If you leave a comment, more comments could be added within minutes. Respond quickly to avoid misunderstandings and prevent the situation from escalating.

3 No-Gos in Crisis Communication

To prevent the next crisis from getting out of hand, here are some things you should definitely avoid:

• Unprepared team: Clarify who can step in in an emergency. Do you have an agency or partner who can keep an eye on comments when you're unavailable? Such precautions are essential.
• Hasty deletions: Think carefully about which comments need to be deleted because they violate your guidelines. Document these cases carefully with screenshots. The feeling of censorship can lead to even more discontent among users.
• Keep an eye on other media: Often a crisis escalates when critical comments from social media are picked up by the press. Therefore, also keep an eye on other media so you can react early and prevent the crisis from growing even larger.