Putting Out Social Media Disasters with the Help of Advertising Agencies

1. July 20, 2017 Social media crisis can be like a wildfire that could blaze through the entire online brand image you have worked so hard to build for your business. This is because what happens in social media can echo across your whole customer base. According to statistics, over 50% of adults use more than one social network. That means that thousands of eyes are upon you, watching your moves, and considering whether they’ll continue doing business with you or not. Given this, you need to put out the fire as fast as possible to prevent it from getting worse. There are several ways to do it, including the following: 1

2. Identify What a Crisis Is Not every social mishap is a disaster. However, this doesn’t mean you can be complacent since there are minor issues that could lead to a crisis if left ignored. There are three signs of a social media crisis. One is lack of knowledge about what’s going on. You have to be on top of the matter to be able to control it. When your business doesn’t even know anything more than what your customers know, then you’re in big trouble. You need to gather all the information about the issue before it blows out of proportion. Businesses always receive criticisms. There’s a pattern to it. However, the moment there’s a change in the pattern, then it must be paid attention to. For instance, if labor practices have always been the center of criticism against your business, but then one day there’s a huge talk about the quality of your products, it’s something you shouldn’t shrug off. Third is the scale of the issue. You need to gauge how big the issue is. If it has the potential to ruin your sales and operation, act now and act fast. Create an Internal Alert and Response Flowchart Your social media staff should know exactly who to call depending on the scale of the issue. For instance, the problem’s degree of severity should match the level of a respondent’s authority. A flowchart will help staff to get the right help at the right time, allowing them to address the issue as early as possible. Acknowledge the Problem Always say “yes” when asked if you know what’s happening even if you don’t have all the answers yet. Being lost in your own battle wouldn’t look good to your customers. You would appear unprepared, which your market could interpret as indifference. 2

3. Apologize and Mean It If it’s a clear mistake on your part, don’t hesitate to say sorry. Taking accountability could go a long way but only if you mean it. Make a heartfelt apology to your customers on the social media platform where the issue started. Then, make sure that your next steps show signs that you’re making up for your mistake. Your online image is crucial to your business. That’s why you need the assistance of reliable advertising agencies that know how to handle social media disasters. About Kukic Advertising: Kukic Advertising provides full service online marketing services. Based on our clients’ needs, we plan, create, and implement a tailor-made marketing plan to meet their goals. Our services include graphic design, web development, and social media management, among others. We make sure that everyone in the team works together to ensure our clients’ success. Source: 91% of Retail Brands Use Two or More Social Media Channels, Adweek.com Don’t Be Scared, Be Prepared – How to Manage a Social Media Crisis, Convinceandconvert.com 3