Where were you when the World Trade Center fell? I distinctly remember the moment. It was my sophomore year in college and I received a phone call (on a land line) from my boyfriend frantically instructing me to turn on the TV. I tried calling my family but the long distance phone lines were backed up so I sat there, by myself, glued to the television. I felt panicked and alone.
A little over a decade has passed and it’s incredible to see the advancement in communication. News travels instantaneously. Like many, I first heard about the Boston Marathon bombing through social media. Instead of turning on the TV as I would have in the past I immediately turned to Twitter. A constant stream of pictures and conversations were quickly unfolding in real time. No one was alone as millions of voices flooded the internet and strangers formed a community for support and answers.
Horrific events that shock and captivate entire nations are thankfully rare. While the Boston bombing pales in comparison to the devastation of 9/11 the constant connectivity provided by social networking sites has intensified the public’s focus on these national crises and their aftermaths. As news breaks, people look for value reassurances and statements of support from sources they follow on social media—sources that include thought leaders and their favorite brands.
So what should you do when disaster strikes? Below are 4 social media guidelines to follow to when crises occur:
#1 Do Use Hashtags
When disaster hits, hashtags quickly emerge tying together conversations on a particular topic. #PrayforBoston and #OneBoston allowed people to connect and share their voices and opinions. Additionally, the hashtag #CommunityAlert was quickly recognized and continued to be useful to victims, officials and the media. Use hashtags to follow the conversation and share your support for the victims and their families.
# 2. Don’t Trust One News Source for the Truth
The Dow Jones plunged more than 130 points on Tuesday when a rogue tweet was sent out from the Associated Press falsely reporting explosions in the White House.
The @AP Twitter account had been hacked and the market quickly rebounded after AP confirmed the false information. Before you panic, be sure to check multiple sources. If the news sources aren’t in agreement about the credibility of a story then the best thing is to wait until the story has been confirmed before sharing with your social media audience.
#3. Do Be Sensitive
When the Boston tragedy took place I saw a number of brands and companies I follow on social media announce they’d be taking a moment of silence for the remainder of the day out of respect for the victims of the horrific events that occurred. Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company’s social media marketer tweeted this:
Be sensitive to the situation. Unlike the commercials on television, you can control the timing of social media messages going out on behalf of your company.
Take time to review anything you may have prescheduled and consider postponing them for a more appropriate time.
#4 Do Share Links to Relevant Information
If you are sharing information during a crisis situation be mindful of how the information that you share may affect your followers. Rather that sharing the negative, look for ways to support the community by linking to helpful websites such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Through the aide of social network sharing, organizations such as One Fund Boston were able to raise over $23 million dollars to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.
These are some basic guidelines for brands to follow when responding to tragedy via social media communication. We’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions for other best practices!
