Use Social Media During a Crisis

With social media exploding in almost every aspect of people's personal lives, it seems natural that it is taking on a bigger role in people's professional lives. In the public relations world, we are increasingly seeing social media being utilized during crisis situations. I think using social media during times of crisis can be very beneficial for companies, but only it social media is used correctly.

During times of crisis, communication is key. People want to know the facts; who, what, when, why, and how. They also want to know what is being done to resolve the situation and what will be done to prevent it from happening again. Not only do people want this information, but they also want it fast. This is where having established social media presence can be a huge asset. Companies can now disseminate important information to their publics in real time. Using a company's Facebook and Twitter to drive traffic to the company Web site can help reduce the frantic phone calls from people trying to figure out what is going on.

If companies decide to use social media as one way to communicate with their publics during a crisis, they need to keep a few things in mind. Making sure that all the social media outlets and Web sites are putting out the same messages and information is crucial. If Facebook says one thing and the Web site says another, it will lead to more confusion and craziness. Organizations also have to realize that by using social media during a crisis that they are losing some control over the situation. It is very easy for false information to be spread over the Internet in a very short period of time. This is something that companies will have to monitor closely during times of crisis and respond to it false information is being spread.

Taking advantage to social media can be very useful for companies experiencing some sort of crisis. Social media creates a dialogue between the company and its publics. Using the already established relationship and dialogue with publics to put out information during a time of crisis can help inform the publics of what is going on and keep them updated in real time. In the end, this can lead to a stronger relationship with key publics because they trust you to keep them informed with the correct information when it is most important.