Businesses face a lot of challenges online. With several platforms designed to maintain a close relationship with a target market, it can be quite tricky for your business to manage all its social media accounts. In fact, more than 90% of brands use more than one social network to strengthen their online presence. To cut to the chase, your social media manager shoulders a big onus.
While social media give you the opportunity to engage with your target market, one wrong move can be detrimental for your business. There are companies whose digital marketing strategy was derailed by one errant post or a comment that ruined their online reputation. Though online disasters can happen to anyone, it’s not the end of the world. You just have to know how to deal with it and get back on your feet.
Don’t Panic
A simple accidental post, misguided humor, or badly-timed content can spawn a social media disaster. Panic from every corner of your team ensues when angry comments start arriving, but the best way to deal with the situation is to remain calm and think things through. Avoid answering comments when you still don’t have a plan on how to deal with the issue; you may otherwise do more harm than good. It’s best to gather your team, discuss the issue, and come up with a solution in a timely manner.
Take Accountability
If there’s indeed a mistake on your part, don’t be afraid to take accountability. Trying to cover up the issue with a new story or excuses will only disappoint your customers much more. The better way to address it is by accepting your mistakes and proceed from that point. You can also delete the post, but don’t forget to explain why you’re doing it. Your followers are monitoring your every move, so don’t think that you can get away with a mere deletion. Once you post something on social media, there’s no hiding place.
Apologize Sincerely
It’s easy to issue a public apology through an official press release. While this can ease the impact of an issue, most of the public won’t appreciate it. They want to see that you’re sincere with your apology, so it’s best to do it in a thoughtful, heartfelt, and more personal manner. This humanizes your company and makes your audience feel like you are listening to them.
Social media mishaps can happen anytime and to anyone. It takes one bad decision to ruin your online campaign. That’s why it’s best to always seek an excellent social media marketing service in Cincinnati to clean up the mess and put your campaign back on track.
Sources:
91% of Retail Brands Use Two or More Social Media Channels, Adweek.com
The Best Way to Prevent Social Media Disasters, Forbes.com
