14.1 Types of Social Media Crises
3 min read•july 30, 2024
Social media crises can strike unexpectedly, wreaking havoc on brand reputation. From gone viral to , , and , these crises take many forms. Understanding the types and origins of social media crises is crucial for effective crisis management.
Real-world examples like Pepsi's tone-deaf ad and Equifax's data breach response highlight the severe consequences of mishandling social media crises. These incidents can amplify reputational damage, erode trust, and impact a company's bottom line. Recognizing and is essential for swift, effective responses.
Social Media Crisis Types
Common Crisis Categories
Top images from around the web for Common Crisis Categories
20 errores que no debes cometer en Social Media y Marketing Digital | Curioseando View original
Is this image relevant?
Challenges of Social Media Marketing | From SEMPO State of S… | Flickr View original
Is this image relevant?
20 errores que no debes cometer en Social Media y Marketing Digital | Curioseando View original
Is this image relevant?
Challenges of Social Media Marketing | From SEMPO State of S… | Flickr View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 2
Top images from around the web for Common Crisis Categories
20 errores que no debes cometer en Social Media y Marketing Digital | Curioseando View original
Is this image relevant?
Challenges of Social Media Marketing | From SEMPO State of S… | Flickr View original
Is this image relevant?
20 errores que no debes cometer en Social Media y Marketing Digital | Curioseando View original
Is this image relevant?
Challenges of Social Media Marketing | From SEMPO State of S… | Flickr View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 2
- Customer complaints about product or service issues that gain significant social media traction and visibility
- Employee misconduct or insensitive actions that reflect poorly on the brand, such as offensive social media posts or public misbehavior
- Insensitive or offensive content posted on official brand channels, like ads, social media posts, or website copy that sparks outrage
- Account hacking or security breaches that compromise sensitive customer data or lead to unauthorized posts from brand accounts
- , like inappropriate responses to social or political issues, or tone-deaf marketing campaigns
Other Potential Crisis Situations
- by fake accounts spreading or misrepresenting the brand
- , where critics co-opt a brand's hashtag to spread negative messages
- Misinformation or rumors that damage the brand's reputation or credibility
- Influencer or spokesperson scandals that create negative brand associations by proxy
- Accidentally publishing on official brand channels, like leaks or internal communications
Crisis Origin Sources
- like employees posting inappropriate content or mishandling official brand accounts
- such as customers sharing negative experiences, competitors spreading misinformation, or the general public reacting to brand missteps
- Crises can be triggered by a combination of both internal errors and external amplification and response on social media
Real-World Crisis Examples
Insensitive Advertising
- Pepsi's 2017 ad with Kendall Jenner trivializing Black Lives Matter protests, leading to backlash, mockery, and ad withdrawal (Pepsi)
- Snapchat's 2018 ad making light of Rihanna's domestic violence experience, causing stock price drop and apology after her public denouncement
- DiGiorno Pizza using #WhyIStayed hashtag in 2014 without realizing it referred to domestic violence, leading to immediate backlash and apology
Misinformation and Hacking
- Russian operatives creating fake accounts to spread misinformation during 2016 U.S. election, leading to government investigations and platform scrutiny
- Equifax's poor social media response after 2017 data breach, directing users to phishing site and compounding crisis
Crisis Impact on Reputation
Amplification of Reputational Damage
- of negative posts or conversations reaching wide audiences and shaping public brand perception
- of social media crises amplifying reputational damage beyond initial social media exposure
- even after crisis resolution, creating lasting negative brand associations
Trust and Loyalty Erosion
- Insufficient, insincere, or inadequate brand responses eroding customer trust
- Decreased customer loyalty, , and potential from unresolved issues
- Reduced and potential declines in stock price or company valuation from diminished reputation
Crisis Triggers and Warning Signs
Common Crisis Triggers
- Insensitive, offensive, or posted by brand representatives sparking outrage (Pepsi ad, Snapchat ad)
- , major , or security breaches gaining social media momentum ()
- High-profile negative customer experiences or critical influencer posts accelerating crisis velocity
Early Warning Indicators
- Sudden influx of negative posts, comments, or hashtags related to the brand on social channels
- Increased volume and intensity of customer complaints, questions, or concerns in social conversations
- Declining sentiment in social listening metrics and overall brand conversation tone
- Threats of boycotts, petitions, or organized social media campaigns against the brand
Key Terms to Review (42)
Brand Advocacy: Brand advocacy refers to the phenomenon where customers actively promote a brand, sharing positive experiences and recommending it to others. This can significantly amplify a brand's reach and credibility, as recommendations from real customers often carry more weight than traditional advertising. Brand advocacy can be nurtured through interactive content, strong community engagement, and managing brand reputation during crises.
Brand crisis: A brand crisis occurs when a company faces a significant challenge that threatens its reputation, market position, or consumer trust. These crises can arise from various issues, including negative publicity, product recalls, unethical behavior, or social media backlash, and can have lasting impacts on a brand's image and financial performance.
Brand equity: Brand equity refers to the value that a brand adds to a product or service, stemming from consumer perceptions, experiences, and loyalty. This value can lead to increased sales, higher pricing power, and greater market share. When a brand has strong equity, it often enjoys a competitive advantage, especially during social media crises where brand reputation is at risk.
Brand impersonation: Brand impersonation occurs when an individual or entity creates a fake profile or account that mimics a legitimate brand, often with the intention of misleading consumers or damaging the brand's reputation. This deceptive practice can lead to confusion among consumers and can undermine trust in the authentic brand, which is crucial in today's digital marketplace.
Consumer trust: Consumer trust refers to the confidence that customers have in a brand, product, or service, believing that it will meet their expectations and provide value. It plays a crucial role in building long-term relationships between consumers and businesses, especially in the digital age where information spreads rapidly. Establishing and maintaining consumer trust is vital for companies to navigate potential social media crises effectively.
Controversial content: Controversial content refers to posts or messages that provoke strong reactions, often resulting in heated debates or disagreements among users. This type of content can challenge societal norms, stir emotions, and even lead to crises for brands or individuals on social media platforms due to its polarizing nature.
Crisis communication: Crisis communication is a strategic approach to managing information during an unexpected event that threatens an organization’s reputation or viability. This practice involves clear, timely messaging to stakeholders, including the public, media, and employees, to mitigate damage and restore trust. Effective crisis communication is critical in navigating various types of social media crises and is essential for employing real-time response strategies that help organizations address issues as they unfold.
Crisis triggers: Crisis triggers are specific events or situations that provoke a crisis within an organization, often leading to negative public perception and reaction on social media. These triggers can be caused by various factors such as product failures, public relations blunders, or external socio-political issues, and they can escalate quickly due to the rapid nature of social media communication. Understanding these triggers helps organizations prepare for potential crises and respond effectively.
Customer churn: Customer churn refers to the rate at which customers stop doing business with a company or discontinue using its services. Understanding customer churn is crucial because it directly impacts a company's revenue and can be an indicator of customer dissatisfaction or failure to meet expectations.
Customer complaints: Customer complaints are expressions of dissatisfaction from consumers regarding a product or service that fails to meet their expectations. These complaints can arise from various issues, such as product quality, customer service, or unmet promises. Understanding and addressing customer complaints is crucial for businesses as it helps maintain brand reputation and customer loyalty, especially in the realm of social media where these complaints can escalate quickly and publicly.
Customer service issues: Customer service issues refer to problems or challenges that arise during the interaction between a business and its customers. These can range from product dissatisfaction to communication breakdowns, and they often lead to negative experiences that can affect a brand's reputation, especially in the fast-paced environment of social media. Effective management of these issues is crucial, as they can escalate into broader crises that impact customer trust and loyalty.
Employee misconduct: Employee misconduct refers to inappropriate, unethical, or illegal behavior by an employee in the workplace that can harm the organization or its reputation. This can include actions such as harassment, theft, dishonesty, or violation of company policies, which may lead to serious repercussions for both the employee and the organization. In the realm of social media, employee misconduct can escalate into a crisis if employees share sensitive information or engage in behavior that damages the company's brand image online.
Engagement Metrics: Engagement metrics are data points that measure how audiences interact with content across social media platforms. They provide insights into the effectiveness of content, allowing marketers to understand what resonates with their audience, optimize their strategies, and refine their overall marketing efforts.
Equifax Data Breach: The Equifax data breach was a major cybersecurity incident that occurred in 2017, exposing the personal information of approximately 147 million individuals. This breach highlighted vulnerabilities in data security practices and raised questions about how organizations manage sensitive consumer data.
External sources: External sources refer to information, opinions, or content that come from outside an organization or brand, often impacting public perception and influencing social media crises. These can include news articles, social media posts by individuals or organizations, expert opinions, and even user-generated content. Understanding how external sources shape narratives is crucial during social media crises, as they can escalate situations and affect how the audience perceives the brand's response.
Hashtag hijacking: Hashtag hijacking refers to the practice of taking over a trending hashtag for a purpose that is different from its original intention, often to promote a brand or communicate a message in a way that can disrupt or divert the conversation. This tactic can be used by brands, individuals, or groups seeking to gain visibility or align their messages with popular trends, but it can lead to backlash if the new context is perceived as inappropriate or disrespectful. In many cases, hashtag hijacking can be part of a larger social media crisis when the brand's image is at stake.
High-profile negative experiences: High-profile negative experiences refer to incidents involving public figures or organizations that result in significant backlash or criticism on social media. These events often lead to a widespread negative perception, affecting the reputation and credibility of those involved. Such experiences are typically amplified due to the visibility of the individuals or brands, making them a prime example of social media crises that can escalate rapidly and require immediate response and management.
Inappropriate content: Inappropriate content refers to any material shared on social media that is offensive, harmful, or unsuitable for certain audiences. This type of content can range from hate speech and graphic violence to sexually explicit material and misinformation. It plays a crucial role in social media crises, as it can trigger public backlash, damage a brand's reputation, and lead to significant consequences for both individuals and organizations.
Influencer scandals: Influencer scandals refer to controversies or negative incidents involving social media influencers that can lead to significant backlash, damage to reputation, or loss of sponsorships. These scandals often stem from unethical behavior, inappropriate comments, or misrepresentation, and can trigger a wider social media crisis, affecting not only the influencer but also brands associated with them.
Internal sources: Internal sources refer to the information and resources that come from within an organization, including employee insights, internal documents, and operational data. These sources are crucial during a social media crisis as they provide firsthand knowledge and context that can help shape the response strategy. Utilizing internal sources allows companies to align their messaging and actions with their core values and policies, ensuring consistency and authenticity in their communications.
Lingering negative sentiment: Lingering negative sentiment refers to the prolonged negative feelings or attitudes that individuals or groups maintain towards a brand, product, or organization after a crisis or negative event. This sentiment can persist even after attempts at damage control, impacting the reputation and trustworthiness of the entity involved.
Loyalty erosion: Loyalty erosion refers to the gradual decline in a consumer's commitment and allegiance to a brand or organization, often resulting from negative experiences or perceptions. This can occur due to various factors, including mismanagement of customer relationships, ineffective communication during crises, or changes in consumer expectations. When loyalty erosion takes place, brands risk losing repeat customers and may struggle to maintain their market position.
Mainstream media coverage: Mainstream media coverage refers to the reporting and analysis provided by major news outlets that are widely recognized and consumed by the general public. This type of coverage typically shapes public perception and influences conversations around events, issues, or crises, including those that arise on social media platforms. Mainstream media can amplify a crisis, dictate the narrative, and often hold organizations accountable for their actions, which is crucial during a social media crisis.
Misinformation: Misinformation refers to false or misleading information spread regardless of intent, often leading to confusion or misinterpretation. It can proliferate rapidly through social media platforms, creating crises for organizations when audiences react based on inaccurate data. Misinformation can stem from rumors, incomplete knowledge, or simple mistakes, making it a crucial factor to understand in managing communication during social media crises.
Monitoring software: Monitoring software refers to tools designed to track and analyze various metrics related to social media platforms, brand reputation, customer sentiment, and overall online engagement. These tools help organizations identify potential issues before they escalate into crises, providing real-time data that aids in decision-making and strategy adjustments. By continuously analyzing interactions and feedback, monitoring software plays a crucial role in crisis management, allowing brands to respond swiftly to negative sentiments or misinformation.
Offensive content: Offensive content refers to any material shared on social media that is deemed disrespectful, inappropriate, or harmful to individuals or groups. This can include hate speech, harassment, graphic violence, and other forms of communication that violate community standards or provoke outrage among audiences. Offensive content can lead to significant backlash against brands or individuals, impacting reputation and trust.
Pepsi Ad Controversy: The Pepsi ad controversy refers to the backlash against a 2017 advertisement featuring Kendall Jenner, which was criticized for trivializing social justice movements and protests. This incident highlights how brands can unintentionally provoke outrage and damage their reputations when they attempt to engage with social issues without a deep understanding of the context or sensitivity required.
Product failures: Product failures refer to the unsuccessful introduction or performance of a product in the market, often resulting in financial loss, damage to brand reputation, and negative consumer perception. Such failures can stem from various factors including poor market research, inadequate testing, or misalignment with consumer needs, which can lead to social media crises when these issues are amplified by online platforms. Understanding product failures is crucial for brands to navigate and manage potential backlash on social media effectively.
Public perception: Public perception refers to the collective opinion or attitude that the general public holds about a particular issue, individual, organization, or brand. This perception can be influenced by various factors including media coverage, social media discussions, and personal experiences. Understanding public perception is crucial during crises and when crafting real-time response strategies, as it shapes how messages are received and interpreted.
Public relations missteps: Public relations missteps are errors or failures in communication strategies that can lead to negative perceptions of an organization, brand, or individual. These missteps often occur during crises and can exacerbate the situation if not handled effectively. Understanding these missteps is crucial for managing reputation and ensuring effective communication during turbulent times.
Rapid response: Rapid response refers to the quick and effective actions taken by organizations to address and manage social media crises as they arise. This proactive approach is crucial for mitigating damage, maintaining brand reputation, and engaging with audiences during times of crisis. Rapid response emphasizes the importance of timely communication, transparency, and the ability to adapt to evolving situations, which can significantly influence public perception.
Reputation management: Reputation management is the process of monitoring, influencing, and controlling an individual's or organization's online reputation. This involves actively managing how they are perceived by the public, especially in digital spaces, where information spreads rapidly. Effective reputation management includes responding to customer feedback, addressing negative comments, and maintaining a positive image to foster trust and credibility.
Security breaches: Security breaches refer to incidents where unauthorized individuals gain access to confidential data, systems, or networks, leading to potential data theft or exposure. In the context of social media, security breaches can severely impact a brand's reputation, user trust, and overall business operations. These incidents highlight the importance of robust security measures and effective crisis management strategies to protect sensitive information and maintain user confidence.
Sentiment analysis: Sentiment analysis is the process of using natural language processing and machine learning techniques to identify and extract subjective information from textual data, often to determine the sentiment or emotional tone behind words. This method is crucial for understanding public perception and can greatly influence how brands engage with their audience, manage crises, and measure success.
Social listening tools: Social listening tools are digital platforms that help brands monitor and analyze conversations and sentiments about them across social media and online channels. By capturing mentions, comments, and discussions, these tools provide valuable insights into customer opinions, industry trends, and brand reputation. They play a crucial role in effective customer service management, crisis response, and real-time engagement strategies.
Social media backlash: Social media backlash refers to a significant negative reaction from users or the public on social media platforms, often in response to a brand's actions, statements, or policies. This backlash can manifest as public criticism, boycotts, or viral campaigns against the brand, potentially harming its reputation and customer trust. Understanding the types of crises that can trigger such backlash is crucial for brands aiming to maintain a positive online presence.
Stakeholder theory: Stakeholder theory is a concept in business ethics and organizational management that emphasizes the importance of considering all parties affected by a company’s actions, not just its shareholders. This approach argues that businesses should operate in a way that creates value for various stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment, fostering a sense of responsibility and sustainability in corporate decision-making.
The crisis lifecycle: The crisis lifecycle refers to the stages that a social media crisis typically goes through, from its emergence to resolution. Understanding this lifecycle helps organizations effectively navigate through different phases of a crisis, including the pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis stages, allowing them to develop strategies to mitigate damage and improve their responses.
Transparency: Transparency refers to the openness and clarity with which organizations communicate with their stakeholders, especially during times of crisis. In social media, being transparent helps build trust and credibility, as it involves sharing accurate information, acknowledging mistakes, and providing timely updates. This principle is crucial for managing crises, safeguarding user privacy, and establishing a solid crisis management plan that includes clear communication strategies.
Trust erosion: Trust erosion refers to the gradual loss of confidence and reliability that consumers or stakeholders have towards a brand, organization, or individual, often due to negative experiences or perceived failures. This decline in trust can result from various crises, including social media mishaps, and can significantly impact a brand's reputation and customer loyalty.
Viral spread: Viral spread refers to the rapid and widespread dissemination of information, content, or messages through social media platforms, where users share and amplify content exponentially. This phenomenon often occurs during social media crises, where a brand or individual faces negative publicity that quickly escalates due to the interconnectedness of users. Understanding viral spread is crucial for managing brand reputation and mitigating the impact of social media crises.
Warning Signs: Warning signs refer to indicators or early signals that a potential crisis is emerging on social media, which can jeopardize a brand's reputation and public perception. Recognizing these signs is crucial for timely intervention and crisis management, enabling brands to address issues before they escalate into full-blown crises. These signs can stem from customer complaints, negative sentiment in comments, or spikes in social media mentions that indicate discontent.