A dangerously overlooked aspect of social media management
Twitter hashtag hijackings have been happening faster than we can cover them. The shellacking the New York Police Department took as a result of attempting to employ the #myNYPD hashtag was just the latest in a string of incidents that, quite frankly, should have been foreseen, and were undeniably preventable.
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook. pic.twitter.com/mE2c3oSmm6
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 22, 2014
I am certain the vast majority of NYPD officers are out there doing their job to keep the city safe day in and day out, but the fact that nobody spotted the immense potential for concentrating every negative image anyone could find (burying the positive responses in the process) under one easy-to-search hashtag tells me immediately that the people behind their accounts need social media crisis management training.
Social media managers are dealing directly with the people who decide your reputation – shareholders, customers, clients, colleagues, even your opponents and detractors, but how many out there can say that their social media manager is trained in crisis prevention, response, or management?
It’s crystal clear that one single post can create devastating effects on an organization’s reputation, yet all over the world businesses are placing their good name in the hands of someone who, while perhaps excellent at creating and maintaining an active social media presence, has zero experience in identifying risks, warding off potential threats, or coping with a breaking crisis.
Reputation is your most valuable asset, don’t leave its preservation in the hands of someone who doesn’t have the tools to do the job.
Erik Bernstein
Social Media Manager