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Social media crisis management – 6 tips

September 6, 2011 by  
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Social media is a blessing and a curse. These new technologies are hugely useful and potentially profitable – but they can also cause headaches of enormous proportions.

Last week, retailer WH Smiths learned about the wrath of social media. A Twitter user in Leamington Spa tweeted a photograph appearing to show that the retailer had moved its copies of Gay Times and Attitude, apparently in an attempt to keep them out of sight.

The Twittersphere was outraged, with hundreds of users retweeting the picture and accusing the retailer of homophobia.

The storm occurred over the weekend, while WH Smiths’ Twitter account was unmanned. On the Monday, the retailer issued a statement explaining that the action had, in fact, been taken for perfectly reasonable reasons – but by that time the damage had been done.

WH Smiths’ difficulties demonstrate the potential dangers of social media, and the importance of dealing with problems quickly and decisively. So, if you find yourself in the middle of a social media crisis, how should you cope?

1. Take it seriously

All too frequently, businesses fail to understand the importance and impact of social media. It is very easy to dismiss Twitter or Facebook as ‘just another fad’, but in reality these are the tools through which your potential and current customers are communicating. If you want to survive, you need to take them seriously. Your first step, therefore, should be to recognise the importance of social media, and dedicate resources to it accordingly.

2. Don’t ignore it

The very worst thing you can do is to carry on as if nothing has happened. You need to tackle social media crises head on, and with a sense of urgency. Remember that information travels incredibly quickly, and that silence on your part will look like an attempt to ‘whitewash’ the problem. Don’t be afraid of tackling the comments. While it might be immediately difficult, it can save you from far worse problems in the longer term.

3. Remember all the channels

Remember that social media is not just Twitter. Twitter might be one of the easiest channels to monitor, but it is certainly not the only place that people might be talking about your brand. Build strategies to help you engage with a number of different platforms. You might, for example, set up Google Alerts to keep you abreast of mentions of your company on blogs.

You should also remember that social media tends to provide a ripple effect. Increasingly, problems begin on Twitter before fanning out onto Facebook, then onto blogs, and finally into the mainstream media. You need to engage on all these fronts.

4. Engage

Indeed, engagement is a key word here. Amongst the businesses that do choose to pay attention to social media, a remarkable number still presume that it is a form of one-way communication. This is not sufficient. You need to recognise that all social media involves two-way dialogue, and you need to be prepared to actually have a conversation. WH Smith chose to simply release a statement in response to the allegations. But you should be ready to engage in a meaningful way with your detractors, in public, about the things that concern them.

5. Act on complaints

As well as listening, you need to demonstrate that you are acting on the complaints that are raised. Consider ways that you can show you are taking the suggestions seriously, and that you are changing your working practices in order to make sure that mistakes don’t happen again.

6. Develop a plan

Finally, it is important to think ahead when it comes to social media. It pays to develop a plan, particularly if you think that you could be susceptible to problems. Think about assigning the task of crisis management to a specific individual or team. Consider things like how you will respond if something needs your attention out of office hours. Make sure that your plans are written down, and that they are reviewed on a regular basis.

Photo: Chinen Keiya

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Create the Perfect "Hire Me" Facebook Page: 9 Simple Tips

September 6, 2011 by  
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With hiring all but at a standstill, job seekers can’t afford to miss any tools available for promoting themselves. And according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is the newest way that employers are reaching potential employees. So if your Facebook page is just a way to stay in touch with friends from high school, you’re missing a great opportunity. The first step is hiding personal information, especially wall posts, through stringent privacy settings — for example, by specifying that tagged photos of you are visible only to you. Then, develop the rest of your page to appeal to recruiters that might be using Facebook to find job candidates, or Googling you to learn more about how you conduct yourself. Here’s how:

1. Post a Profile Headshot, not a Snapshot
If you want your Facebook page to look professional, hire a pro to take your pic. “That one picture is your first impression,” says Dan Schawbel, founder of Millennial Branding.

2. Tell a Professional Story of Yourself
Post pictures of you at work, not at play, say J.T. O’Donnell, CEO of CareerHMO.com: “For example, build a gallery of photos of you in action at work with little captions for each one. A personal chef could show themselves in the kitchen making a healthy meal for a family.” Include any press about yourself, or simply create a QA about your unique talents.

3. Tout Testimonials
If you have professional recommendations, include them on your page. If not, ask pals to promote you. “The personal chef should get friends to post their favorite thing she cooks on her wall, etc. The more endorsements, the better,” says O’Donnell.

4. Include Professional Contact Info
Think of your Facebook page as a launching pad to bounce HR and hiring managers to the rest of your relevant professional websites. “Include your website and LinkedIn profile links under contact information so interested employers can find out more about you,” says Schawbel.

5. Don’t Let Photos Pop Up by Default
“Make sure the last five photos tagged of you best represent you as a professional because they are displayed at the top of your profile,” advises Shawbel. Depending on your industry, these could be more headshots, candids at networking events or conferences, or additional action snaps.

6. Connect with Old Co-Workers and Current Colleagues
Networking is not new, but networking on Facebook may be new to you. “With more than 750 million active users on Facebook, you never know who you might connect with for that next business opportunity,” says Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor’s career and workplace expert.

7. Be a Joiner
Find professional groups and associations for networking opportunities and job news. “They’re not only good to be associated with but you never know what type of information you may be able to pick up that could give you an edge in the hiring process,” says Rueff.

8. Be Discrete
Keep the details of your job search — include how interviews are going — off your page, says Rueff. If your current employer finds out you’re interviewing before you give notice, you could lose your job. And you could also hurt your chances of landing a particular job by sharing too much information with your network. Finally, potential employers may not like the process being publicized, and could hold it against you.

9. Proofread, Edit, and Update Your Page
Finally, just like your resume, your Facebook page needs to be carefully crafted and continually reviewed. “Establish a powerful personal brand via concise language and compelling adjectives regarding your career skills and accomplishments,” says Meghan M. Biro, principal founder of TalentCulture.

What are your best tips for making a “hire-me” Facebook page? Please share in the comments below.

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