At this point, I feel it’s important to admit that no one
has really got this social media thing perfected yet. Not even the guy
with the Social Media Slips and Stumbles blog. Sure, it's easy to point out where some people are doing it wrong, but the ability to point out how to do it right proves much harder.
Companies like Steam Whistle and Oreo do a great job of
spreading the gospel and nurturing their online communities. And individuals
like Ricky Gervais and Stephen Colbert adapt the medium for their individual
needs whilst providing a source of near-constant entertainment to their legions
of followers.
But even these savvy social media sages still slip-up and
make mistakes from time to time.
Social media mistakes are okay. The may garner strong
negative reactions at first, but the digital world moves fast and some new sinner
is always taking centre stage.
As with anything in life, slip-ups are inevitable. The
online cocktail party that is the social media world is not exempt from this
universal truth.
Consequently, whether you are a well-known organization,
massive corporation or lowly individual, there are a couple of specific things
you can do if ever you find yourself caught in a cringe-worthy social media
hailstorm.
Like in traditional public relations crises, the first step
towards absolution of your sins is to acknowledge that you made a mistake in
the first place. Repent.
From there, you should take any applicable combination of the
following steps (offered by a Californian Public Relations agency Tellem Grody):
1. Pay the toll 2.
Cement your base 3. Simmer
down
4. Admit the stumble 5.
Line up 6.
Take off your jacket
7. Shift 8.
Laugh tactfully 9.
Keep talking
With a bit skill, a bit of luck and bit of creative candor, you
should be back in the good graces of the Social Media Gods in no time.
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