Integrating Social Media Into Crisis Planning

Social Media and Crisis Planning

February 13, 2008

Case Studies• Virginia Tech• Red Cross• FEMA Press Conference• Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

During a crisis there is an expectation that an

organization will efficiently communicate with customers, employees, communities and media. However, the added ability to manage inbound

feedback and messages makes the overall crisis response

more effective.

Strategies for Implementation• Participate in Social Media• Build a credible voice• “Dark” portal or channel• Design a system that simplifies

Meeting Needs of Stakeholders• Internal vs. Eternal• Is the technology pervasive?• Multiple channels of communication• Push or pull? An opt-in system• One- or two-way communication

Meeting Needs of Communicators• Pulling the trigger on messaging, who

decides?• Comfort with the tools• Where social media fits in the overall

strategy• Business continuity and crisis

communication

The Communicators Toolkit•When to consider a proprietary platform

oWhen your corporate reputation is dependent on communicating well in a crisisoWhen there is a need to securely communicate with far-flung employeesoWhen it is likely that the core areas of the organization will be exposed to a crisis or natural disaster over the next five years

•When there is no budgetoBlogs and other publishing platformsoThe power of RSS and syndication: tools (conversion of info to different formats)oTwitter/SMS tools

Features to Consider

• Content-management module• Multiple channels of communication – push,

pull and two-way• Secure site to ensure employee privacy• Dynamic external News Room• External hosting to support continuity• Robust data security and transfer

procedures

Off-the-Shelf Solutions

Matrix of Social Media Tools

+ Second year $12,000 ($3/employee); ++ Can be added with customization and additional cost; * Fee for WordPress is one-time design fee

EmployeeSite

E-mailPush News

PressSite

ManageContent RSS SMS Phone Annual Cost

Employee Outpost

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ++ $17,000+

MessageOne ● ● ● ● ● ● ● $36,000

WordPress* ++ ● ● ● ● $5,000*

Amerilert ● ● ● ● ● ++ $4,400

PIER ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● $10,000

Contact InformationKami Watson Huyse, APRMy PR Pro

kami@myprpro.com

Blog: Communication Overtones

Ike PigottAmerican Red Cross

ike@pigott.name

Blog: Occam’s Razr