When a negative event hits the social media channels, organizations sometimes cower. It could be anything from an errant tweet (Chrysler) to a major political hot potato (Chick-Fil-A).
Before negative social media causes you to hide your head in the sand,
consider three ways those angry comments can help you bring a quicker
resolution to the event.
1. Negative social media can help you distinguish a temporary negative event from a real crisis.
If you’re not confident on this point, you might create a crisis out of something that isn’t. Remember, every negative comment does not need a response. Two basic operations will give you a good start here: monitor your online brand mentions in real-time, and get everyone on the same page about response strategy. A triage response system will help. Sometimes a negative event is just a thunderstorm–it will pass quickly.
Initially identify an event’s intensity and predicted cycle length. Can the event be diffused with an immediate response? Setting emotions aside, is it just a blunder or a multi-layered issue that could become a full-blown crisis? Does the event have immediate external ripples–are people outside the organization directly affected? Are you monitoring in real-time to track the volume level (number of posts, retweets, additional mentions)? An example of an event that you may just want to monitor for escalation: a blogger with a limited audience criticizes an organization’s action that has no external ripples. If the event doesn’t get any traction within 48 hours, it may have run its course. If you are monitoring the event, you’ll be able to track its escalation.
These incidents need to be closely watched with volume and sentiment tracking. Key metrics you should be watching: sentiment changes and speed of change, volume changes (frequency of comments or posts), event mentions to non-event mentions, and increase in regular social media metrics (reach metrics: likes, shares, RTs, mentions). Remember, an increase in Facebook page likes isn’t always positive if you have your page set to receive comments only from people who like the page. Detractors will like your page so they can comment and keep up with other detractors’ comments.
2. Negative social media can help you recognize actions you need to take to resolve the event.
1. Negative social media can help you distinguish a temporary negative event from a real crisis.
If you’re not confident on this point, you might create a crisis out of something that isn’t. Remember, every negative comment does not need a response. Two basic operations will give you a good start here: monitor your online brand mentions in real-time, and get everyone on the same page about response strategy. A triage response system will help. Sometimes a negative event is just a thunderstorm–it will pass quickly.
Initially identify an event’s intensity and predicted cycle length. Can the event be diffused with an immediate response? Setting emotions aside, is it just a blunder or a multi-layered issue that could become a full-blown crisis? Does the event have immediate external ripples–are people outside the organization directly affected? Are you monitoring in real-time to track the volume level (number of posts, retweets, additional mentions)? An example of an event that you may just want to monitor for escalation: a blogger with a limited audience criticizes an organization’s action that has no external ripples. If the event doesn’t get any traction within 48 hours, it may have run its course. If you are monitoring the event, you’ll be able to track its escalation.
These incidents need to be closely watched with volume and sentiment tracking. Key metrics you should be watching: sentiment changes and speed of change, volume changes (frequency of comments or posts), event mentions to non-event mentions, and increase in regular social media metrics (reach metrics: likes, shares, RTs, mentions). Remember, an increase in Facebook page likes isn’t always positive if you have your page set to receive comments only from people who like the page. Detractors will like your page so they can comment and keep up with other detractors’ comments.
2. Negative social media can help you recognize actions you need to take to resolve the event.
Even though it may be hard to hear, you need to listen to criticism with a learning ear. Because of organizational blind spots,
sometime we won’t see issues that need addressing. Angry detractors can
reveal actions we need to take now, alert us to key questions that need
to be answered, and give us hints about remedies that can speed
mitigation. Detractors can also be broadcasting news about the event
that you haven’t even heard yet.
Learn to listen past the anger and recognize the real need. Granted, some posts are just plain hateful, but a carefully written posting policy and good use of filters on Facebook can weed out the profane hate speech.
3. Negative social media can help you start conversations with detractors that can turn them into advocates.
Most people don’t post negative comments in hopes of receiving answer from the organization. They just want to have their say. But some detractors would like answers. I helped a client through a global viral crisis recently, and one of the smartest things we did was post an email address where people could initiate offline conversations with the organization, and let them know the exact hours of the day the inbox would be monitored. Many who took the time to email asked thoughtful questions. Replies to questions need to be carefully worded and thoughtful, however, as they are public communication. We found that many of the conversations ended up back on the Facebook page. The people had posted them with a positive comment about the organization for being helpful and willing to share information. I will add that we did not answer every email as some people just wanted an additional channel to have their say. But we did thank them for taking the time to give us some input and assured them we were listening.
Even though negative social media can turn an event into a crisis, it also holds value in helping resolve the event quicker.
Learn to listen past the anger and recognize the real need. Granted, some posts are just plain hateful, but a carefully written posting policy and good use of filters on Facebook can weed out the profane hate speech.
3. Negative social media can help you start conversations with detractors that can turn them into advocates.
Most people don’t post negative comments in hopes of receiving answer from the organization. They just want to have their say. But some detractors would like answers. I helped a client through a global viral crisis recently, and one of the smartest things we did was post an email address where people could initiate offline conversations with the organization, and let them know the exact hours of the day the inbox would be monitored. Many who took the time to email asked thoughtful questions. Replies to questions need to be carefully worded and thoughtful, however, as they are public communication. We found that many of the conversations ended up back on the Facebook page. The people had posted them with a positive comment about the organization for being helpful and willing to share information. I will add that we did not answer every email as some people just wanted an additional channel to have their say. But we did thank them for taking the time to give us some input and assured them we were listening.
Even though negative social media can turn an event into a crisis, it also holds value in helping resolve the event quicker.
About cksymeChris
Syme heads a strategic communications and training agency in Bozeman,
Montana. CKSyme.org specializes in real-time communications with a
crisis/reputation expertise. She has 25+ years in the communications
field including university media relations, PR, teaching, radio,
newspaper, and crisis/reputation management. Her recent e-book, Listen,
Engage, Respond: Crisis Communications in Real-Time, is available on
Amazon.com. Her insightful blogging can also be found on Social Media
Today, Blog High Ed, EDUniverse, AllTop, and Montana Business . She and
her husband have two grown daughters and enjoy the best of both worlds,
farming in northeast Montana and living in Bozeman, MT as well. She is a
graduate of Montana State University and did her graduate work in
crisis management at Eastern Washington University.
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