Responding to Crisis in 140 Characters

Andi NarvaezUniversity Of Maryland

Social Media and Crisis

Use of Twitter is on the rise

Global Fortune 100 Social Media Stats

• 84% of Fortune Global 100 companies use social media

• Twitter is the most popular channel, used by 77% of companies

• Use of Twitter has increased by 18% from 2009 to 2010

• Companies have an average of 5.8 Twitter accounts, up from 4.2 in 2010

Burson-Marsteller 2011 Global Social Media Check-up

Increased possibility of making mistakes that can potentially spread quickly and be highly visible

Social Media Crises = One that originates and is responded to via social media channels

Research Purpose• Apply Situational Crisis

Communication Theory (SCCT) and Discourse Renewal in an analysis of organizations’ responses to social media crises.

• Recommend 140-character response strategies

• Suggest social media policies to prepare and respond to social media crises more effectively

Crisis Communication Theories

• SCCT o Clusters: Victim, accidental, preventableo Response Strategies:

• Denial (attaching the accuser, denial, scapegoating)• Diminishment (excusing, justification)• Rebuilding (compensation, apology)• Bolstering (reminding, ingratiation, victimage)

o Most frequently used = Bolstering, denialo Most effective: Full apologyo Least effective: Denial

Crisis Communication Theories

• Discourse Renewalo Prospective focuso Opportunities o Provisional rather than strategic responses o Ethical communication, leadership

Social Media and Crisis Management

• Dialogic nature of blogs and Twitter• Influencers’ roles in covering crises• Twitter leads to less negative

reactions than blogs and newspapers• Twitter users more likely to have

secondary reactions (word-of-mouth)• Twitter users less likely to boycott

organization

Method• In-depth interviews with

9 public relations, social media professionals

• Consulting, agency, nonprofit, and for-profit experience

• On Twitter since early 2008

Social Media Crises• Four “perpetrators”

o Employeeo C-Level Executiveo Agency of Recordo Spokesperson

Employee

Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogfish Head’s Midas Touch beer… when we drink we do it right #gettngslizzerd

@RedCrossFebruary 15, 2011

Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogfish Head’s Midas Touch beer… when we drink we do it right #gettngslizzerd

@RedCrossFebruary 15, 2011

We’ve deleted the rogue tweet but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve confiscated the keys

@RedCrossFebruary 16, 2011

C-Level Executive

Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo - KC

@KennethColeFebruary 13, 2011

Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo - KC

@KennethColeFebruary 13, 2011

Re Egypt tweet: we weren’t intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment – KC

@KennethColeFebruary 13, 2011

Agency of Record

I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to fucking drive

@ChryslerAutosMarch 9, 2011

I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to fucking drive

@ChryslerAutosMarch 9, 2011

Our apologies – our account was compromised earlier today. We are taking steps to resolve it.

@ChryslerAutosMarch 9, 2011

Spokesperson

Japan called me. They said “maybe those jokes are a hit in the US, but over here, they’re all sinking”

March 12, 2011

Japan is really advanced. They don’t go to the beach. The beach comes to them.

@RealGilbert March 13, 2011

I meant no disrespect, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families.

I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by my attempt at humor regarding the tragedy in Japan.

@RealGilbert March 15, 2011

I meant no disrespect, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families.

I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by my attempt at humor regarding the tragedy in Japan.

@RealGilbert March 15, 2011

Love that you want to be my new voice. But first I’m using it to ask for donations to the Red Cross for Japan. www.redcross.org/donate

@aflacduckMarch 15, 2011

Results• RQ1: What type of crises did

the organizations experience due their actions on Twitter?o Accidental caused by improper

use of technology and insufficient social media training

o New cluster: Inevitable

Results• RQ2: What type of crisis response

strategies do crisis communications professionals believe the organizations employed via Twitter?o Apology used most often in combination with

other approachesFull apology, discourse renewalApology from spokesperson, bolstering (ingratiation) and discourse renewalApology and denial (scapegoat)Apology and diminishment(excuse)

Results• RQ3: Which organization’s crisis response

strategies are perceived to be most effective on Twitter by crisis communications professionals?

Acknowledged, apologized, moved forwardCharacteristics of discourse renewal!

Mislead, denied, contradicted, condescended, lost opportunity

o New response strategy: Humor

LOL

Results• RQ4: What situational factors

influence professionals’ perceptions of which strategies are most effective?o Perpetrator: Employees can make mistakes, CEOs cannoto Context is King: Sensibility, tacto Timing: 24 hour magic windowo Type of organizationo Nothing on use of hashtags, links or other Twitter features

Implications• Best social media crises

response strategies• Role of discourse renewal• Need for technical social

media training• Preparing for the inevitable

Limitations and Future Research

• Sample size• Case study selection• Responses on other social

media channels• Interviews Focus groups• Experimental design• Isolate situational

mediators