7 Tips for Dealing with a Social Media Crisis

Improper handling of social media crisis may result in its metamorphosing into a disaster. Before it happens, you better get going. Here are a few tips that will help you deal with the crisis.

Have a Plan

Every brand must have a sound social media policy in place. The executives must know what steps need to be taken if a crisis is to arise. The plan must include what steps must be taken in order to take control of the situation and a list of who within the company needs to be modified.

Listen to Conversation

A team of executives must be tasked to listen to the conversation on social media. You must not go to resolve a crisis blind. You may use social media listening tools to listen to conversation related to your brand, so that you are able to come up with appropriate replies.

Investigate the Crisis

It is important to know where the crisis originated, how the customer has been affected and what has prompted others to rally behind the issue. It will help you take the appropriate steps for handling the situation.

Speed Matters

A crisis must be acknowledged at the earliest. Your initial response must make the people aware that you are acknowledging the issue. Ignoring it will only make the matters worse. Your approach must be transparent and fast-paced.

Control the Conversation

Acknowledge the crisis on a page that you have control of - such as Facebook or Tumblr pages. It will allow you to control the conversation by moderating the events. It should be a balance of positive and negative views about the brand.

Never be Argumentative

You must not argue with the visitors regardless of the provocation. Your reason to get agitated may be the most genuine, yet you will do well to hide your emotions. Arguing with people while trying to establish your point will only make the matters worse.

Develop a Section Devoted to Crisis

Dedicate an area of your website or blog for crisis management. It must contain all the information about the crisis and what the company is doing to tackle it. When responding to the customers, you can send them directly to the section.

If your skills fall short for efficient handling of crisis, you may outsource it to a professional crisis management company in India. They have professionals that can be trusted to take care of the job.

Author of this article recommends India InfoMedia Pvt. Ltd. that is a leading name in perception management, corporate communications, and crisis management companies India.