What Is Your Social Media Crisis Plan?

If you don’t have one, it’s time to create one. Time (and message consistency) is of the essence when a social media crisis hits. That’s not the time to try to figure out what to do. You should have a documented plan already in place, with specific policies for your employees, as well as outlined steps and a checklist for managing the challenge across all channels. Some things to consider when writing your crisis plan and developing your policies: DO NOT CENSOR Do not censor criticism or negative comments on your social media channels, unless they violate your terms or contain foul language that might offend your community. Removing criticism and complaints can quickly lead to more harsh comments spiraling out of control. ACKNOWLEDGE & TRY TO TAKE IT OFFLINE Try to understand what the negative commenter wants. It’s important to respond quickly and publicly, acknowledge the concern, and then take the conversation offline as quickly as possible. BE CONSCIOUS...