Crisis management
Social media crisis management
How to master negative comments and PR crises
In today’s digital world, a single negative comment or thoughtless reaction on social platforms can quickly trigger a PR crisis. It is therefore essential for companies to establish effective crisis management on social media in order to protect their reputation and restore customer trust. In this blog article, we give you a comprehensive guide on how to respond to criticism and negative comments in order to act confidently and professionally even in difficult situations. At the end, you will also get an insight into examples of social media shitstorms from well-known brands and their solutions.
Be careful with sensitive topics: What often triggers shitstorms
There are certain topics on social media where companies need to be particularly careful, as they can often cause shitstorms. Political and social topics are at the top of the list. Advertising or statements relating to controversial topics such as gender roles, racism, LGBTQ+ rights or the handling of environmental issues have repeatedly triggered strong reactions in the past. Humorous or sarcastic content that is not perceived correctly can also be easily misunderstood and lead to criticism. Furthermore, crises and disasters can be a sensitive topic – companies should be extremely sensitive when commenting on them to avoid being perceived as opportunistic or insensitive. After all, even insensitive comments or advertising relating to cultural differences, religion or physical characteristics, for example, can quickly be perceived as disrespectful and trigger a shitstorm. It is crucial that companies carefully consider their messages in advance and are aware of how their communication could affect different target groups in order to avoid potential crises.
Guide
The shitstorm is here, so what do you do now? Here are the most important steps you should take in the event of a crisis:
Keep calm and react quickly
The first and most important step in crisis management is to remain calm. It is crucial that you do not let your emotions get the better of you, but assess the situation objectively. Negative comments should not be ignored, otherwise they can spread quickly and become a bigger problem. A quick response shows that you are taking the feedback seriously and are prepared to address the concerns of your followers.
Tip: Create a crisis plan that defines clear responsibilities and communication guidelines. This way, you can react immediately in an emergency and are well prepared.
Remain objective and professional
When responding to negative comments, it is important to remain objective and professional. Avoid getting into discussions or arguments and instead focus on de-escalating the situation. A friendly and respectful tone of voice can often work wonders and shows that you respect your customers’ opinions.
Tip: Formulate standardized responses for common points of criticism that you can adapt if necessary. This will ensure that your responses are always professional and consistent.
Acknowledging the problem and taking responsibility
An important aspect of crisis management is acknowledging the problem and, if necessary, taking responsibility. Users on social media appreciate honesty and transparency. If you have made a mistake, admit it openly and offer a solution or compensation. A simple “We’re sorry” can go a long way and restore people’s trust.
Tip: Make sure that your team is able to offer solutions quickly and unbureaucratically. This could be the return of a product, an apology or another form of compensation.
Using negative comments as an opportunity
Negative feedback is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity for improvement. Use the criticism to optimize your products, services or processes. Show your customers that you learn from your mistakes and actively work to improve. This can strengthen trust in your company in the long term.
Tip: Document and analyze negative comments regularly to identify and address recurring problems.
Moving the dialog into the private sphere
If a problem is complex or the discussion threatens to escalate publicly, it is advisable to move the dialog to a private space. Offer to resolve the issue by direct message, email or telephone. This enables a more discreet and efficient solution to the problem and prevents the situation from being discussed further in public.
Tip: Formulate a standardized response such as: “Thank you for your feedback. We would like to investigate the issue further. Please contact us directly via [E-Mail/Telefon]so that we can find a solution.”
Promoting positive engagement
In addition to responding to negative comments, it is equally important to encourage positive engagement. Thank people who give positive feedback and encourage your community to share their positive experiences. This will help to strengthen the overall image of your brand and push negative comments into the background.
Tip: Reward positive posts and interactions with small surprises, such as discount codes, prize draws or a public thank you. This motivates your customers to continue talking positively about you.
Monitoring and prevention
Effective crisis management starts with prevention. Regular monitoring of your social media channels helps you to recognize potential crises at an early stage and act in good time. Social media monitoring tools can help you to immediately identify negative comments or critical topics.
Tip: Use social media monitoring tools to track mentions of your brand, products or services in real time. This allows you to react quickly before a small problem develops into a major crisis.
After the crisis: learning the lessons
After overcoming a crisis, it is important to analyze the situation and learn from it. Conduct an internal review to assess what worked well and where there is room for improvement. Adapt your crisis plan accordingly to be even better prepared in the future.
Tip: Document the entire course of the crisis and the measures taken. This information can be valuable in future crises and help to avoid similar situations.
Well-known examples of social media shitstorms and their solutions
Social media shitstorms can hit even the biggest companies. Here are some well-known examples of how companies have responded to such crises and what lessons can be learned from them:
United Airlines (2017) - The violent ejection of a passenger
Background:
In April 2017, United Airlines was caught up in a massive shitstorm when a video went viral showing a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked plane. The outrage on social media was enormous and the incident led to a considerable loss of image for the airline.
Reaction:
United Airlines initially reacted unhappily, calling the incident an “overbooking process” and portraying the passenger as “uncooperative”. This reaction further exacerbated the crisis. It was only after massive public criticism that the CEO of United Airlines publicly apologized and promised to revise internal processes to ensure that this would never happen again.
Lesson:
It is crucial to react quickly, empathetically and clearly when a mistake happens. An inadequate or insensitive response can exacerbate the crisis. Companies should take responsibility and communicate credible steps to make amends.
Pepsi (2017) - The failed advertising campaign with Kendall Jenner
Background:
In 2017, Pepsi released an ad campaign featuring Kendall Jenner that attempted to address the Black Lives Matter movement. However, the ad was perceived as insensitive and trivializing towards serious social movements. The reactions on social media were fierce and the shitstorm followed promptly.
Reaction:
Pepsi quickly pulled the commercial and publicly apologized for the gaffe. In their apology, the company acknowledged that they had missed the point and underestimated the impact of the campaign.
Lesson:
Companies should be careful when addressing social or political issues in their advertising. It is important to consider the potential impact of such campaigns and ensure that they deal with important issues respectfully and sensitively.
BIC (2015) - Misogynistic advertising on International Women's Day
Background:
For International Women’s Day 2015, BIC published an advertisement with the slogan “Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a boss.” This slogan was immediately perceived as sexist and misogynistic, which led to a massive shitstorm.
Reaction:
BIC immediately apologized and withdrew the advertisement. The company explained that the message of the advertisement was misunderstood, but took full responsibility for the mistake and promised to be more sensitive in the future.
Lesson:
It is critical to carefully review advertising messages to ensure they are not perceived as offensive or discriminatory. A quick apology and withdrawal of the campaign can help to limit the damage.
Nestlé (2010) - Conflict with Greenpeace
Background:
Nestlé came under fire in 2010 when Greenpeace accused the company of sourcing palm oil from suppliers that were destroying the rainforest and endangering orangutans. Greenpeace launched a campaign against Nestlé that quickly went viral and massively damaged the company’s image.
Reaction:
Initially, Nestlé reacted defensively and tried to delete negative comments and videos on YouTube and Facebook, but this only exacerbated the crisis. Eventually, the company changed its tactics, sat down with Greenpeace and committed to sourcing only sustainable palm oil.
Lesson:
Attempts to censor negative comments can exacerbate the crisis. Instead, companies should respond to criticism and look for solutions that take into account both the interests of stakeholders and their own long-term goals.
Conclusion
These examples show that dealing with crises quickly, transparently and empathetically is crucial to limiting the damage and restoring customer trust. Companies should learn from previous incidents, take responsibility and use negative comments as an opportunity to improve. Well thought-out crisis communication, combined with regular monitoring and a clear plan, can make the difference between a short-term image problem and long-term reputational damage. This will keep your company strong and confident even in difficult times.
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