Unit 3: Using Social Media during a Crisis
It is no secret that using social media during a crisis is necessary. There have been recent crisis events, such as a natural disaster, where national and regional government emergency response officials have used social media to keep people informed. Whether you use social media to quickly help diffuse an issue or provide real-time information during search and rescue efforts, you should learn how to best use it. This means it is also important to properly integrate social media into businesses' and organizations' overall strategic communication plans. This unit also profiles a successful social media campaign, explains how to protect your social media channel, and provides perspectives from online social media communicators.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- explain how to use social media during a crisis; and
- describe types of social media and how to effectively use them.
3.1: Social Media Considerations
Read this section to learn how trends in social media affect the availability, use, and appeal of social media as effective communication during a crisis. Note that the social media landscape changes quickly, with various new platforms and apps gaining (or losing) popularity over time.
This article, targeted at nonprofit organizations, contains useful guidelines and considerations when developing a social media policy. Having such a policy in place will be very helpful in using social media to respond to a crisis.
This comprehensive guide covers creating a general social media plan, but skim through it and think about how a guide like this applies in crises. How do you effectively communicate critical messages through different social media channels?
Read this article to learn how to avoid social networking risks that could interrupt and compromise your Internet and social media channel services.
Watch this video to learn emerging best practices for reaching and engaging bloggers, reporters, and other influencers to target your messages.
3.2: Social Media and Crisis Communication
Read this paper, which details the results of an online survey on preferred types and modes of social media messages during a crisis. Though the study has limitations, consider how the findings could be useful.
The Red Cross identified a need for social media implementation for humanitarian aid. Watch this short video to learn about social media's growing application for disaster response and how mapping and digital volunteers can help navigate a crisis.
There is no question that social media is an important part of disaster response, whether documenting impact or mobilizing aid. However, this also raises many challenges and complexities. Consider your thoughts on the three challenges at the end of the article.
Although this paper focuses on agricultural organizations and crises, the discussion of social media use applies more broadly. Pay special attention to the conclusions, recommendations, and implications.
Watch this video, which illustrates how a government agency in Australia has effectively integrated social media into emergency service procedures.
This paper is a bit technical, but read about the proposed Communication Hub Framework and consider its implications for disseminating information on social media during a disaster.