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A Social Media Plan For Crisis
Point Plan: Communications
communications strategy. Ben Nimmo, Founder and CTO of SocialSignIn, offers advice on how to effectively manage social media during times of crisis.
Organisations have come to rely on social media as a key part of their
crisis can happen at any time, anywhere, and affect any organisation. In the UK last year there
were several tragic terror attacks, severe weather systems, and incidents of ‘fake news’ that resulted in widespread panic and casualties. So how can organisations ensure
they are prepared to deal with crisis scenarios when they happen? Social media is so widely used and offers such real-time interaction that this is now a key channel in every communications plan. Having a defined, documented and well-rehearsed social media strategy, which supports and enhances a wider communications plan, is key to communicating timely, accurate, and concise information to the public in the event of a crisis. With help from some of the diverse
organisations we work with, we have put together a comprehensive 10 Point Plan to guide you on how to manage a crisis on social media.
Start With Good Governance 1
Honing day-to-day best practices will assist when a crisis arises. Darren Caveney, from strategic
consultants comms2point0, explains: “Picture the scene: A member of staff goes rogue and begins posting on one of your organisational social media accounts. Reputational damage ensues. Your Chief Executive rushes into the office and asks you to take it down immediately. “Sorry, we don’t have the password,” is going to make for a really uncomfortable coming few hours. Don’t let it happen to you.” The advice? Ensure that the communications team has access to the passwords of every single social media account (especially when they change), that they are logged securely for accessing at times of crisis and are managed centrally through your management platform.
Agree A Strategy Ahead Of Time 2
Key decision makers should plan the strategy in advance, match key responsibilities to people who can take action,
and outline how these plans compliment the wider communication strategy. This ensures a brand’s reputation and values are upheld and that consistent messages are delivered across channels. Manchester City Council’s Communications Team shared their first actions after the terrorist attack on Manchester Arena in May 2017: “The Council’s Communications team has a clear plan for major incidents and that includes the management of our social media platforms. Working with partners, we ensured that clear, concise and accurate messages were shared, not just to Manchester residents but across the world. As agreed in our plan, for the initial response, Greater Manchester Police’s messages take primacy and our first responsibility is to amplify these messages to ensure the biggest reach – ultimately to protect and inform people during those confusing first hours.”
Choose Your Channels And Content Carefully
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When communicating messages, it’s important to consider your audiences, the social media channels
they use and the type of content they respond to. Maximising your reach in this way will encourage engagement and awareness. It’s also key to consider the suitability of existing or scheduled content during these times. Manchester City Council’s Communications Team reacted to ensure the content on their social media accounts remained appropriate: “All scheduled content was stopped for a week. It was essential that the tone of our accounts reflected the city’s strength and public response.”
54 issue 31 spring 2018
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