From Crisis to Connection: How to Build a Social Media Crisis Management Strategy

Crises of all kinds could hit your brand at any moment. In a fast-paced digital world, having a social media crisis management strategy is crucial.

Social media now plays a fundamental role in crisis management, both as a platform where crises can emerge and as a communication and insights tool to resolve them. Your presence on social has a direct impact on consumer trust–Sprout’s Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey found that 78% of consumers (and 88% of Gen Z) agree a brand’s social media presence impacts whether they trust the brand. An uncontained social media crisis can quickly erode this trust and damage a brand’s equity.

Planning for the worst and being able to adapt quickly no matter what you’re facing is critical. Social media professionals are already well-equipped to deal with communication in difficult situations. Leading with empathy and flexibility is at the core of what you do. Your experience will help you collaborate across functions to develop an effective social media crisis management plan and support your community.

This comprehensive guide to social media crisis communication will give you actionable best practices to:

Understand the level of crisis you may be experiencingCreate content that directly speaks to your customers’ needs during a crisisPrepare an evergreen crisis communications plan so you’re ready when neededSet up your social media operations to see your team through a crisis scenarioUse social media to make actionable recommendations on business next steps

While we hope you never have to use your social crisis management plan, it’s important to have one ready—whether it’s specific to your brand or a global crisis that changes the way you, and the world, works.