Staying ahead of social media backlash

Over the weekend, Facebook lost over 30,000 users, accounts are getting shut down and people are taking a “break” from social media. We’re seeing key figures and influencers getting blocked or abandoning their channels. Just recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they’re leaving social media “for good,” further demonstrating the negative climate surrounding Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms at this time.

It’s hard to say at this point what to expect from social media users or what the long-term ramifications could be. Why? Because most of what we’ve seen (so far) has been very reactionary. If we continue to see things play out on social media as they’ve been the past week, the continuation of accounts getting blocked or key figures/influencers taking a break, we could see additional platform fleeing as users are no longer able to connect with those they follow.

Jamie Gyerman, director, channel strategy, shares four tips for managing your brand’s social channels in the current climate:

• Be mindful of when and what your brand is posting. Keep an eye on your competitors and industry partners as well as your own channel chatter to gauge what is best for your audience.
• Revisit your social media policy for employees. While employers have limitations on disciplining employee’s online behaviors outside of working hours, they do have the right to do so during them. It’s important to spell out what your policy for employees will be. You don’t want employee’s online behavior putting your company at legal risk.
• If your company feels compelled to make a statement, be prepared to back it with action. Be sure that the message is genuine to your brand’s core values and communicate it to your employees first. Social media statements should be made with careful consideration and coincide with your other external communications. You will also want to be prepared to address both positive and negative response.
• Go where your audience is active. If your audiences remain on social, then your brand should remain there as well. If you see a long-term decline in their online presence, then you may need to explore other channels to maintain connections. This also applies in the event your company chooses to exit social.

For additional social tips and insights, contact Jamie Gyerman.