Crisis Response in the Internet Era

Web 2.0 has changed crisis response in the world of PR from “announcements” by an organization to a “conversation.” 

Forget the old days of Mike Wallace kicking in the door with his camera crew behind him. That never really happened, anyway, even though it has become folklore in the corporate world where many CEOs fear and detest the media.

Today, an organization is more likely to get scalded and damaged by bloggers and adverse buzz on social media sites more quickly than by what’s left of the traditional, mainstream news media. In fact, chances are a mainstream news reporter may hear about a crisis situation first from a blogger … or someone on Twitter.

Today, it’s all about openness, transparency, timeliness and engaging stakeholders, the media, and, especially, bloggers who cover an industry, in an open conversation. There is not longer such a thing as a “secret.”

In planning crisis management, leaders of organizations need to know that they will be judged by how quickly they personally reach out to engage in a conversation with key audiences than hiding behind statements by a spokesperson or a lawyer. They also need to recognize how influential and powerful a communications resource the Internet has become.

Tags: Crisis Communications, David Henderson

Category: Crisis Communications, Featured