Just about everybody is buzzing about social media and its implications for the practice of public relations. Not just the specialized public relations New York area firms offer, but in the world at large. While a number of New York-based public relations firms have created practice areas devoted to social media, others have added social media initiatives to existing practices to offer clients a complete arsenal of marketing communications tools. However, the rise of social media has greatly impacted the area of crisis communications and we at Makovsky + Company, a New York public relations and investor relations firm, offer insights into how you can safeguard your company’s reputation in this brave new world.

First, a look at what’s changed from a crisis standpoint since the rise of social media. In years past, when traditional media were the primary delivery vehicle for the dissemination of news and information, a company typically had a little time to implement their crisis communications program. With the advent of social media and the increasingly powerful position it occupies in the in the media world, all of that is changing. Social media is immediate and viral — rumors and news can spread rapidly throughout the Internet via blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, informing the traditional media (often, journalists housed at traditional media outlets will maintain blogs that are updated with a degree of frequency).

In addition, the media landscape is also changing. With the well-publicized cutbacks at newspapers and other traditional media, there is a void which is being filled by bloggers, who outnumber traditional journalists by a wide margin. Also growing into the millions are the numbers of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter users.

In essence, this means you — as a practitioner of public relations New York based companies turn to — must be ready to respond instantaneously to protect the reputation of your client’s company and/or products. We offer a checklist on how to utilize social media in your crisis communications planning:

* Monitor — Know the high-authority bloggers who cover your industry and diligently monitor what they are saying about you and your industry. This could serve as an early warning detection system as to emerging issues.

* Identify Allies — While it is always a good idea to keep your enemies close, you should have a good idea of who your company’s potential supporters are within the digital world. These are relationships worth cultivating as they could become “ambassadors” for your company in times of crisis.

* Utilize Social Media — Having an active presence in the realm of social media can assist greatly in building your company’s reputation and marketing its products and can also be utilized to deliver key messages to a variety of constituents during troubled times. Think of this effort as building a reservoir of good will.

* Be Mindful of Disclosure — Corporate disclosure within the SEC’s guidelines is important. All communications via social media should be vetted by legal counsel and, of course, should involve your company’s investor relations department to avoid inadvertent disclosure.

* Update Your Crisis Program — Basically, your crisis communications plan should be updated frequently and, perhaps with greater frequency given the rapidly changing world of social media.

The emergence of social media has forever altered the landscape of the battle. While a crisis once take hours to unfold, companies can now find themselves engulfed in a troubling situation in the time it takes to click a mouse. Makovsky + Company is among the public relations firms to pioneer to use of social media in business-to-business applications. The firm understands the critical importance of integrating online and traditional campaigns to ensure your company’s reputation is protected in the online marketplace. As a result, it has forever changed the practice of public relations New York financial services and healthcare companies expect and rely upon.




By: Kevin Waddel