Social Media Response Impacts How Quickly Your Brand Recovers
For those of you who have just started to put your brand on social media channels, it may be all likes and giveaways until the first crisis presents itself, and you have to decide when/what/how/if to respond.
A recent blog post from Alterian.com illustrates how you respond to a crisis on social media has a huge impact on how quickly your brand recovers its positive reputation. Alterian spotlighted three companies that each experienced highly-publicized crises: Nestle, Domino’s Pizza, and United Airlines. Each brand experienced a crisis that caused a big spike in negative online mentions, and each saw a drop in positive sentiment toward their brand.
But that’s where the similarities end. Each company handled the crisis differently. Nestle tried to sensor an unflattering Greenpeace video and made matters worse. United Airlines didn’t acknowledge the crisis directly, but gave away a Starbucks gift card on all domestic flights. Domino’s Pizza execs had the most direct response, making an apology video and launching legal action against the offending employees.
Domino’s was the first to recover its formerly positive sentiment online. United also recovered, but it took longer. Nestle took 50% longer to return to its pre-crisis sentiment due to its lack of response.
So what are the takeaways from this case study? First, have a social media crisis communication plan in place so that when the unthinkable happens, you are ready and primed to respond. Second, respond to the crisis quickly. Be transparent in your response. It’s okay if you don’t know all the answers immediately. Just let people know you are aware of what happened and that you are doing something about it. Finally, it never hurts to apologize, even if it isn’t your fault. Acknowledge that the crisis has made people frustrated or angry or inconvenienced and show empathy.
Has a brand you follow online experienced a crisis? What did you think of their response?
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If you could grow your business simply by marketing to your existing customers, making money would be a cakewalk. But to generate new revenue, you have to win over the customers you’re not getting. Who are these mystery customers? How are they different from your current clientele? Most importantly, how do you forge a bond with them across these differences?
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About the Author
Kelly McDonald
Kelly McDonald is a marketing and advertising expert with more than 20 years of global advertising agency experience.
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You've got a great newsletter, Kelly. Full of such amazing information! You do an amazing job and I can't wait to hear you again in June. Barcelona, Spain? You Rock, Lady!
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