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The weighty issue of social media crisis management: where PR fits

Boosted by anywhere, anytime gizmos like iphones (and the eagerly awaited ipad), these applications turn traditional media paradigms on their head, eliminating reporters as gatekeepers and blasting away the restraints that come with appointment programming.

No more is a story limited to a certain number of column centimeters or a soundbite constrained to a matter of seconds, nor is it neatly tucked away in the evening news bulletin.
No longer does a disgruntled customer have to convince a media outlet involved that theirs is a tale compelling enough to attract viewers or readers - they can put it to the acid test themselves, and if the story does grow legs, the social media interest endorses its newsworthiness for MSM (mainstream media for those still getting to grips with things).
And no more can we reassure ourselves that today's bad press is tomorrow's fish and chip wrapping. News cycles are infinitely longer and deeper than ever before, with the social bit of social media keeping stories alive for as long as somebody is interested in looking.

Actor/director Kevin Smith's vitriolic tweet-fest with Southwest Airlines over its 'people of size' policy is a great example of the sorts of issues social media can cause for organisations - and just how far out of hand these things can get.
Smith turned to Twitter after Southwest offloaded him for violating its 'people of size' policy (in real person's speak, he was too fat so they kicked him off the plane).
His barrage of tweets made mainstream media within minutes - with coverage in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other major outlets.
Within hours 'Kevin Smith Twitter' was the 23rd most searched for Google term.

"So, @SouthwestAir, go f*** yourself," read one tweet. "I broke no regulation, offered no 'safety risk' (what, was I gonna roll on a fellow passenger?)."

When Smith boarded his next flight, he posted a picture of himself in the seat with the words "Hey, @Southwest, look how fat I am on your plane! Quick, throw me off!"
And on landing: "Hey, @SouthwestAir, I've landed in Burbank. Don't worry, wall of the plane was opened and I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised."

Southwest responded in kind, tweeting its apologies, and offering vouchers as an olive branch.
Not enough for Smith, who responded "F*** your apologetic $100 voucher, @SouthwestAir"

Smith's 'audience' is large enough to make him a media outlet in his own right.
One point six million people follow his Twitter feed (ironically, just a million follow Southwest).

So how did the airline respond?

Well, they fought social media with social media, using Twitter and blogs to get their side of the story out:

@ThatKevinSmith Hey Kevin! I’m so sorry for your experience tonight! Hopefully we can make things right, please follow so we may DM!

Hey folks – trust me, I saw the tweets from @ThatKevinSmith I’ll get all the details and handle accordingly! Thanks for your concerns!

I read every single tweet that comes into this account, and take every tweet seriously. We’ll handle @thatkevinsmith issue asap

I’ve read the tweets all night from @ThatKevinSmith – He’ll be getting a call at home from our Customer Relations VP tonight.

@ThatKevinSmith Ok, I’ll be sure to check it out. Hopefully you received our voicemail earlier this evening.

@ThatKevinSmith Again, I’m very sorry for the experience you had tonight. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.

@ThatKevinSmith We called you on the number you had on file in your reservation. If you prefer a different number, please DM me. Thanks!

Our apology to @ThatKevinSmith and more details regarding the events from last night – http://cot.ag/96KHC7 #Southwest

Finally, they resorted to a long-ish blog post http://www.swamedia.com/ to tell their side of the story.

TOOLBOX

So what's to be done if you find yourself in Southwest's shoes?

Understand how social media works and where it fits
You can't know what's being said about you if you're not in the game. Senior managers may dismiss Twitter as a tween/twenty-something plaything and see it as irrelevant in a corporate setting, but increasingly, it's gaining mainstream traction, not just with consumers, but media too.

Practice good crisis management: monitor what is being said about your organisation and products
Social media moves fast. Really fast. You need early warning of any potential reputation crisis and you need to be able to mount an instant response. Sign up for Google Alerts or services like Social Mention, or Tweet Beep to stay on top of who is talking about you and where.

Understand how social media differs from traditional media
The sort of corporate speak and formality that pervades in old-school media statements looks stilted and out of place in a tweet or on a blog post. Plus it's hard to get all that bumpf into just 140 words.

Don't just read about it, do it
The best way to understand social media is to get into the thick of it and study it from the inside out. Start a blog, launch a Twitter feed, learn about how this beast works, what feeds it and what sedates it when things get heated.

Understand that social media is a pull, not a push, mechanism
While traditional news media 'broadcast' to masses of people who may or may not be interested in all of their content, those who subscribe to Twitter and blog feeds or routinely visit specific sites have a strong interest in whatever it is that is covered there. They are deliberately seeking it out, not just stumbling across it. This group is not impassive, impartial or only mildly interested: chances are they will care a great deal more about the issue at hand than your average punter.

It's one-to-one environment - in public
The tone, style, content and approach of your posts or tweets needs to reflect this. One-to-many is the way of traditional media. There's an intimacy and authenticity that comes with social media, and the power of it can't be underestimated.

Use the old-school model to make sure you've got your bases covered (with a couple of new media twists):

Twist a: in addition to your public feed - privately message those directly involved
Twist b: Publicly address those you can't reach directly by referencing them with the @sign and their Twitter name.

Content wise...

1. Acknowledge the mistake and its impact
2. Quick summary of where things are at
3. Explain what's being done to rectify it
3. Outline what is being done to put things right long term
4. Solicit input/feedback from your followers.

A lot to achieve in 140 words, which brings us to our next tip...

Use the full arsenal of social media
Blog posts are a great way to get extended explanations out there and pitch your side of the story.

Don't forget traditional news outlets
The war is very rarely contained to the blogosphere, especially if it's a big issue.
Mainstream media allow you the opportunity to flesh out your organisation and give it a more human face. Don't hide away online and shy away from traditional interviews - they're still an integral part of any reputation management strategy.

Stay on top of things and be ready for the long haul
The internet has news cycles just the way traditional media always has. They are likely to be longer and more diffuse, and it may feel like you are fighting fires for an eternity. However you need to be there, right down to the last tweet, to show you are willing to front up, fix things and learn for next time.