Are you ready for on-line brand crisis management issues?
Recently, I was watching a special on the Bermuda Triangle. The latest theory on the ship disappearences is now being tied to rogue waves coming from Gulfstream movements in the Northern Caribbean basin. These type of waves can be created from ocean currents, hurricanes or even tsunamis. Rogue waves appear as a wall of water towering above ships and toppling them over. If you have seen the movie, The Poseidon Adventure, then you have a vision of a rogue wave.
Ya know we have rogue waves in the social media!
Social media rogue waves move in the same fashion as their ocean counterparts but pass across walls and timelines as shared comments, tweets, or discussions. To many, the voice of friend or customer is unimportant. But, every now and then the “voice” is targeting our on-line reputation or brand name negatively! This is the social media rogue wave. It comes in fast and if you are not “listening” you may miss the opportunity to defend your on-line reputation, or enhance your reputation in the social web.
Social media rogue waves are very unpredictable social tones. Social tones are the positive, negative, or neutral views of on-line social web participants. If one responds properly to these rogue waves, one can end up riding the crest of the rogue waves.
Here are 5 steps to deal with social media rogue waves:
1.Create and build a social media monitoring system. Many off the shelf solutions exist. Also, may on-line applications exist that can be combined to create a great inexpensive early warning system. Many of these systems can be programmed to watch and search for your brand name and certain keywords. Many social media monitoring systems offer daily e-mail alerts of on-line activity using your brand name and keywords.
2. Create a simple checklist for social media-based personnel to use when your brand comes under social media attack. This will allow a proper and fast response to many social media rogue wave attacks. Checklists allow social media monitoring personnel to contact the proper departments. Also, a checklist will give social media personnel how to create a proper on-line immediate response to brand detraction. Remember, other social media participants are often watching or aware of these negative messages.
3.Determine the credibility of the voice conducting the on-line attack. Some on-line brand attacks are conducted by paid brand detractors. Other social media based attacks could be in the form of profile hijacking, angry or disgruntled employees using your on-line profiles to drive customers to your competitors, or competitors hijacking your brand name and placing it in their blog or website. Most on-line brand negativity issues are based around customer service or a defective product.
4.Watch and Report the social media tones to those departments that deal with these issues. This is the preferred tactic for most coporate legal departments. Some complaints or negative brand issues will need the attention and expertise of senior management. Many times, on-line complaints do not need an immediate response. Consider responding to a negative issue within 24 hours.
5. Respond in a timely manner to an issue or complaint over your brand and company. If the complaint is large and is all over the social web, a well crafted multimedia and multiple social network response will be needed. In short, if your complaints are on particular discussion boards, be sure to place your defense on these same discussion boards. If your complaints are isolated and not related to one another, an answer on the same social network or site is the best solution. Overall, make a simple response on-line to the complaint, then take the conversation off-line. After the issue is resolved, a company may want to compile a social media release based around the negative incident and how the incident was resolved.
FINAL TAKEAWAY: DO NOT STAY DARK DURING THESE TYPE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ROGUE WAVE ISSUES!! PLAN AND CREATE A RESPONSE. DO NOT LET THE ON-LINE COMMUNITY COME TO THEIR OWN DECISIONS!
Consider placing these 5 steps into your company’s social media guidelines!
Has your brand or company encountered rogue waves? How does you organization deal with rogue waves? Do share….
