Using Social Media During a Crisis: 10 Steps to Getting It Right
When a PR crisis strikes, many businesses instinctively turn to social media—the same channel they use for everyday messaging. While reaching a large audience quickly has obvious appeal, social media crisis management comes with significant risks that can amplify rather than contain the damage.
Protecting your brand’s reputation during turbulent times requires more than quick posts and reactive comments. A well-crafted crisis communications strategy can mean the difference between recovery and lasting reputational harm. Here are 10 essential precautions for navigating a PR crisis on social media.
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1. Understand The Situation Fully Before Responding
While acknowledging a public issue promptly matters, rushing to respond before you have complete information can backfire. Take time to investigate the root cause and gather facts. New details often emerge that can reshape your response strategy entirely.
2. Monitor All Of The Coverage Everywhere First
Before engaging on social media, conduct thorough media monitoring across all channels. That said, social platforms remain invaluable for quickly correcting factual inaccuracies—they’re often the fastest route to key stakeholders.
3. Ensure All Messaging Is Consistent
Social media represents just one touchpoint among many, and consumers encounter your brand across multiple channels simultaneously. Message consistency isn’t optional—it’s essential for maintaining credibility when every statement is under scrutiny.
4. Don’t Try To ‘Manage’ The Conversation On Social Media
Social media hosts the bulk of crisis-related conversation, and attempts to “manage” or control that dialogue almost always backfire. Instead, develop a holistic communications approach that incorporates social media strategically—resist the impulse to post reactively or “set the record straight.”
5.Choose Your Words Carefully And Intentionally
Every word carries weight during a crisis. Consider United Airlines’ 2017 misstep: their CEO’s use of “reaccommodated” to describe forcibly removing a passenger turned an apology into a viral disaster that drove customers to competitors. Precise, empathetic language matters.
6. Own The Issue Without Being Defensive
Accept full responsibility without hedging or defensiveness. Customers form lasting impressions of your brand’s trustworthiness and empathy based on how you handle difficult moments. Your crisis response often defines your reputation more than years of positive messaging.
7. Be As Transparent And Open As Possible
During a crisis, people want to express opinions and feel acknowledged. Arguing with commenters, deleting criticism, or deploying identical canned responses will intensify backlash. Embrace transparency, share your perspective with those genuinely seeking it, and allow authentic discourse to unfold.
8. Post In Real Time Instead Of Pre-Scheduling
Pre-scheduled content becomes dangerous during active crises. Situations evolve rapidly—a post that reads appropriately one moment can appear tone-deaf or insensitive the next. Real-time posting allows you to respond to changing circumstances and maintain appropriate messaging.
9. Keep Calm And Never Retaliate
Retaliation is never the answer, regardless of how unfair accusations may seem. Maintain composure. Reach out privately to offer solutions or compensation when appropriate. If direct resolution fails, compile supporting facts and distribute them through diplomatically worded press releases.
10. Drive Social Media Followers To PR Content On Your Site
Social media’s rapid pace and algorithm-driven feeds can confuse your messaging timeline—posts appear based on engagement, not chronology. Consider publishing official crisis communications on your website first, then using social channels to drive traffic there. This approach gives you greater control and allows for clearer, more detailed messaging that can be updated as situations evolve.
Need expert guidance navigating a PR crisis? Contact The Hoyt Organization to discuss how our strategic communications team can help protect and restore your brand’s reputation.
