The availability of easy online publishing tools has given everyone a voice and the power to reach an audience. This can be a very positive thing, what with fans, evangelists and brand ambassadors helping to spread the word. On the other hand it opens the door to greater risk and the need for constant vigilance, as inaccurate information and bad news can spread rapidly online.
Reputation Management has long been a core PR function and now, more than ever, we have to be aware of what is being said about the organization and be able to take effective action to correct any threat to the organization’s image. Listening to the online conversations and having a PR team that is trained to react effectively is no longer an option – it is a necessity. You can’t afford to be caught unawares or react incorrectly.
Nestle’s response to the Greenpeace attack is a case in point: several social media and PR analysts have commented that the initial handling of the attack only made things worse. One case study refers to Nestle’s “seemingly unprepared and not particularly PR-savvy social media team.” Web Strategist Jeremiah Owyang warns that citizen activists and organizations like Greenpeace are incredibly well organized and that every company must have a well trained PR team that can handle a social media attack and have a digital crisis plan in place.
Here the key features of his plan
- Have a community strategy –don’t jump without a parachute
- Don’t leave your social media to an intern or unseasoned PR person
- Develop internal fire drills to anticipate what might happen
- Forge key relationships that can help protect your brand
In the past PR agencies have provided media training to their clients. Perhaps it’s time to expand that to social media training along with reputation and crisis management counseling.
But that, of course, assumes that the agency has the knowledge and experience to impart this training.
Do you have policies, procedures, and a social media crisis plan in place? If not, put it on your 2011 PR goals.
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