Over the past few years, social media has become one of the biggest ways people gather information. Whether it is about current events, daily life, or even business strategies, everyone seems to have their own digital space they use to share things with the world.

With over 2 billion active users now, social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become common spaces for most to congregate. They provide easy access to other people’s experiences, ideas, and resources which can help us learn new tricks, find new opportunities, and inspire us to reach our goals.

However, this popularity also means that almost anyone can say anything at any time, making it tough to maintain credibility. This is especially true when someone higher up in an organization posts something controversial or off-topic.

When this happens, viewers may look to add them to a blacklist or avoid engaging with their content until it is corrected. Or, if you are exposed to such messages frequently, it may hurt your morale and confidence in the company. For some, this negative energy can be too much and cause long term damage to relationships.

Bridging the gap between writing in a casual tone and writing with professionalism isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, there are no rules! But with these tips, you will know how to write crisis management without sounding forced or weird.

Avoid negativity

A lot of times, people will try to stir up a conflict with someone by saying hurtful things about them or their company on social media.

If you are in a situation where this happens, it is important to stay calm and avoid adding fuel to the fire.

Instead, use diplomacy when possible, but if there’s no way to resolve the argument, then go straight into damage control.

Avoid getting drawn into an angry exchange unless it is necessary. This could backfire badly for you and may only make the issue become more acrimonious.

At that point, controlling what gets said becomes even harder.

Instead, keep your tone neutral and focus on solving the problem instead of proving how right you are.

Be consistent

Consistency is one of the biggest keys to success in writing. This means staying within the parameters that social media networks give you, as well as using their settings consistently.

For example, if your profile picture includes you holding up a sign saying “LIAR!” then maybe don’t use that image for an update about how wonderful your life has been.

On Facebook, people have seen enough examples of this trope to know it doesn’t work. If someone sees something like this, they will definitely comment or share to show off how clever or witty they are- which can be negative for you.

Consolidate all these warnings into one week and see what happens.

And remember, timing is key. Try to write your posts at least a day ahead of time so there isn’t any unexpected traffic.

Stay positive

A lot of people start using social media at this stage of the game by posting angry or insulting comments about the event, person, or thing that has angered them.

This is very common when someone shares something that you disagree with or find upsetting. Sometimes things go too far, and before you know it there’s an argument, some hurt feelings, and all kinds of acrimonious talk online.

By writing about your reaction to the event, or what had happened before the incident, or even just how you feel about the individual who offended you, you risk creating more negative feedback and exposure.

Don’t do anything that could potentially spread false information or incite violence or hatred.

Share tips for managing a crisis

This is very important, as social media has become one of our every day activities. It is also unfortunately something that many people have to deal with on a daily basis.

There are several ways to manage a social media crisis. Depending on what type of crisis it is can determine how you handle it. For example, if someone posted an offensive or mean comment about your company, then directly responding to their comment is the best way to go.

However, if their comments are not so much business related but personal such as a complaining about you as a person, then having a conversation with them face-to-face may be the better approach.

Whatever route you choose to take, being in control by knowing the types of crises that happen on social media and how to respond to each one will help you keep things calm and prevent any potential problems down the road.

Tell your audience what to do

One of the biggest mistakes that people make in crisis situations is telling other people what to do. It can be very frustrating for them to try to follow your advice when you have not told them first what they should or could do!

In social media crises, there are always more than one person involved. There may be several parties involved, such as users, followers, and/or employers. Only one party is usually in control at any given time, but it is important to remember that no one else is in charge either.

It is up to you alone to decide how to handle the situation, so it is crucial to tell yourself what to do before someone else does. This will help you keep a level head and avoid overreactions.

Also note that just because something seems like a good idea at the moment does not mean it is necessarily the best choice for everyone. What works for one person might hurt another’s reputation even more.

Never assume anything about anyone else’s position, attitude, or state of mind until you have spoken with them and they have confirmed it themselves.

Assign a team

A social media crisis can quickly spiral out of control, so it’s important to have someone in charge of messaging for your company. This person should be able to take the lead during these situations and keep people informed while keeping things professional.

It is helpful to have this individual work for you, as well as earn their paychecks later, so it is best to hold initial conversations with them before there are any issues. Make sure they do not work for the other side or feel comfortable working with you!

Once that is done, they will need access to all accounts and information beyond what is already public. It is also crucial to know who in your organization may be vulnerable to online accusations and how to talk down about the situation.

Knowing when to escalate and practicing communication strategies are both very important parts of being able to manage a social media crisis.

Create a plan

Writing effective social media crisis management messages is more than just jumping in there and trying to be funny or telling someone how bad their business has done this week.

It takes preparation, and that means thinking through what you’ll say before you say it. Most of us have heard stories about people who said hurtful things on social media, so we know it can really damage your reputation.

That’s why being prepared is important. You want to make sure you are not only aware of the issues at hand but also have a solution ready.

What I mean by solution is making people feel better or helping them fix the problem they may have made due to your words. This will take more than just saying “I apologize!”

If you keep re-hashing your apology, nobody feels better and nothing gets fixed. They might even start ignoring or avoiding you because they think you don’t care. – which obviously isn’t the case.

Stay calm

Before you begin writing your post, make sure you are not too nervous or stressed out. Try practicing our tip number one again! Breathe deeply for at least two minutes before starting to write.

When you’re in control of yourself, then your body will be as well. Your body naturally releases serotonin, which makes us feel happier. So by using this practice, you are giving your self a chance to recharge and re-enter mood mode!

Your mental state can have an effect on how people perceive you and if you're able to keep a level head, they may even start trusting you more. People view those who seem stable and confident as stronger leaders.

On social media, things can quickly get ugly so staying strong is important. Plus, when you're not in stress mode, you'll be much better at recognizing sarcasm and whether something is truly offensive.