Social Media Crisis Communications Quick Tip #1

Sometimes my posts are long, I know! I try to add as much value to each and every article as I possibly can, but I know the downside to that is that sometimes, there’s just not enough time in our days to read everything we want to read! So I thought that this week I would give you a break… no I’m not taking the week off from blogging! I am going to make this week a “Short tips you won’t want to miss for social media crisis communications” week, where each day I will give one new tip for your crisis communications plan, and I will make that tip short, sweet and directly to the point.

So, today’s tip (seeing that it is also Q&A Monday) answers a question that Pam asked me last week:

“Are there any guidelines you can give for when an organization should disengage from the discussion?”

Guidelines for disengaging from fans on social media:

• When the conversation gets hostile or unacceptable
• When your fans and followers come to your defence and/or aide (let them engage for you, but monitor those engagements)
• When you’ve said all there is to be said
• When you want to mark the end of a crisis, situation or discussion
• When it’s a fan or competitor trying to instigate you
• When it’s time to take the discussion offline

Thanks to Pam for the excellent question – and stay tuned for tomorrow’s Social Media Crisis Communications Quick tip #2!

Melissa Agnes

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.