|
Many companies have a love-hate relationship with social media. We love it because it has opened new doors for building, strengthening, and maintaining customer relationships. However, on the other hand, it can also feel overwhelming and even out of control at times. This is where online reputation management becomes important. If good company news gets retweeted and posted about, it is essentially free advertising and a reputation builder. However, if the opposite occurs and negative news starts to circulate, then the company's reputation and even the relationships it has may potentially become tarnished. After all, people have the freedom to post almost anything on your social accounts if you let them. They key is being ever-aware of the activity of your company's social accounts, and knowing how and when to take action. When something negative occurs on your social accounts, it might feel as though the situation is out of your control, but in this article we describe ways in which you can get it back under your control and improve the situation. Here are 3 simple tips that your company should implement when a social media "crisis" occurs. 1. Pay attention. Keeping an eye on all company social media accounts is a must. Posts and tweets can be made so easily that if they're not being watched, concerns and complaints (whether or not valid) can slip by without getting noticed. It is when these comments go unobserved that they have the ability to grow and make an impact. It is important to read and 'listen to' the activity occurring on and about your social media accounts. But it does not stop with listening; social media is interactive and followers of your accounts expect you to be active in return. 2. React quickly. Not providing any response at all can imply guilt or a lack of planned actions. Not responding to complaints via social media is like saying "no comment" to a reporter (and we all know how that looks). The upset posters take notice that there has not been any returned communication and this will likely enrage them further. Even a response like, "We are currently looking into the situation and will get back to you shortly" is better than not saying anything. Or, better yet, take the conversation offline if possible. Offer unsettled customers a way to address the company privately, such as a support email address, so this information isn't shared around the web. 3. Resolve the issue. Resolving the issue is not always easy. It takes listening, understanding, and brainstorming to come up with the best strategy. And even once a solution has been implemented it is not guaranteed to work for everyone. Some people might still be upset; however, the goal should be to respond to or fix the issue for the majority of people. In the resolution, try to be honest and gracious: apologize if you deem it necessary, and share your plan of action to avoid this situation in the future. Reassure people that the problem has been heard and is being addressed. Remember: when it comes to social media, listen, react, and aim to resolve. Effective social media management is essential. Have any questions about this article? We'd love to hear from you! Contact the author directly at www.liquidprint.com/contact_us. Author: Rosanna Schatzki, Internet Marketing Manager at liQuidprint
Related Articles -
social media, social marketing, social media for businesses, online reputation management, social media networks,
|
