Your Community Manager will need to develop a social media crisis management plan in advance, with the full participation of everyone in the agency.

Communication Points to Consider
1. Listen and Be Present
In the digital age, not listening to conversations or having presence on social communities can reflect badly on your image. Even responding with a simple link to the correct web site is helpful – and shows the public you take them seriously.

Listening to social media channels will often reveal unexpected topics. Hopefully, be aware will give your agency time to address issues before they blow out of proportion online.

2. Set Expectations
If you are a small organization or have limited resources to respond to public inquiries in real-time, then set expectations upfront. Knowing that they should expect a response within a set time frame can alleviate repeated attempts and utilize limited resources more effectively. Be specific, make that expectation visible, and follow through on the commitment. Let the public learn they can rely on your agency to provide timely feedback. If you consistently miss your mark or fail to establish a feedback forum, the public will seek and find answers elsewhere – before, during and after events.

3. Be Transparent
There is a temptation to remove or ignore posts that are unflattering to an agency, angry about the situation, or simple heckling. Removing offensive comments can be justified, but the removal of negative comments will appear to be an attempt to cover up issues. Remember, nothing posted online ever goes away. If you delete negative comments, people will take screenshots and repost, so do not be tempted. It is critical to be honest and upfront about the issues the agency faces. If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize, and do everything in your power to correct it. The public doesn’t expect an agency to be perfect, just transparent and honest. They expect to be treated as valuable allies. That means not betraying their trust with back-peddling and cover ups.

4. Respond Thoughtfully
It’s worth putting effort into writing a thoughtful reply aimed at addressing public concerns. Show concern about the public’s experience and a willingness to address problems. Thoughtful response is a great way of turning critics into supporters. It builds trust and allows you to further nurture relationships with an online audience. Word-of-mouth recommendations and links to agency content are more influential than an agency’s postings.

5. Do Not Lose Your Cool – Ever
There may be times when you disagree with comments made by the public. Do not be rude or attack. Provide the best information possible, and do the best to satisfy every inquiry. If nothing helps and an individual insists on being rude and un-cooperative, simply move on. Accept that there are people who will never be placated or satisfied.

7. Post Moderation Guidelines
Most sites have their own Terms and Conditions, but can post customized moderation guidelines on social media pages. Make it obvious what behavior will or will not be tolerated within social communities. Be up-front about “house rules” — this makes it simpler to take down offensive posts.

8. Be Consistent, Honest and Open
The public has real-time information about the scene of an incident, so it’s important update EMA communication methods. Acknowledge current challenges, so the agency has an opportunity to offer potential solutions and projected timelines for correction. In more complex events, agencies need to triage resources and focused support. A Community Manager can help explain what the agency is doing and even direct the public’s desire to help in optimal ways.