Facebook will slowly be rolling out the option for your fans to comment to your posts with a photo directly uploaded to the thread. This doesn’t present many new risks, but it is something you need to be aware of and prepare for internally.
How can you prepare for Facebook photo comments?
Include images within your definition of negative vs. unacceptable
By now you should have defined the difference between negative comments and unacceptable comments by fans and have outlined the proper courses of action for each (how to respond vs. when to delete). Within this, it’s time to include a clear description of what constitutes as negative images and what constitutes as unacceptable ones (if you haven’t done so already).
For example: Images are worth a thousand words and in a crisis situation, what types of images would warrant a response or to be left on the page, even though it depicts something negative towards your brand? From there, determine what types of images would be deemed unacceptable, why and how your frontline should go about reacting to them (i.e.: deleting them and then sending a private note to the sender).
Understand that images have a high-risk viral potential
Images offer the highest engagement rates (there’s a reason why Instagram does so well) and can instantly draw upon a desired emotion. (Remember that strong negative emotion can quickly trigger a negative incident – whether issue or crisis.) It’s important that your crisis team be aware of the potential repercussions of, what we will call “negative images”, and have a response plan laid out for the different scenarios that may present themselves.
Monitor!
It’s a good idea to let your monitoring team know about this new feature coming to Facebook and remind them of the importance of keeping their eyes open – not just for word comments, but to monitor and evaluate photo comments as well.
Be aware of this coming feature and be prepared
There are a lot of opportunities that will come with Facebook photo comments, and some risks as well. It’s time to give your team a head start, evaluate the opportunities and the risks and prepare for them – before this new feature begins to roll out.
Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.
Leave a Reply