How to avoid social media disasters
Like it or not, social media has become a mainstream communications channel. What makes it so appealing for consumers is that it’s usually the shortest distance between them and a brand.
Image: Gabe Harris
We are all aware of the impact that social media has had on PR and Marketing, but is it always good to be so social? It is obviously true that a great social media campaign can go a long way to putting your business on the map and increasing its online presence, but it can also be very damaging to a company’s image if used in the wrong way.
It is more important than ever for managers to not only run a successful social media campaign for their company but to also keep tabs on what their employees and customers get up to on the sites too.
What can we learn from other companies social media disasters?
- Don’t piggy back ride on natural disaster – Think twice before you try to turn a natural disaster into a promotional opportunity
- Better think twice before posting an answers on social media – A century-old ice cream company came under “fire” after a social media failure
- Twitter hashtag campaign backfires by unhappy customers – What happens when a hashtag campaign backfires?
- Think twice before changing products – As social media grows more and more users are learning how it can be used to group together over a single cause and use “pester power” to fight against companies
- Think twice before increasing prices – Don’t risk a social media attack
Social media is a great tool for brands to connect on a personal level with their customers. Unfortunately, it’s also a great tool for malcontents to rally negative sentiment about your company. The line of defense in today’s customer-driven world is to develop a comprehensive social media policy and community management plan within your company before any potential PR disasters strike – and quickly respond to any flare-ups.
What do you think was the biggest social media failure in recent time? What can we learn from these social media failures?
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How to avoid social media disasters — http://www.torbenrick.eu/t/r/dvm
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