Social media use in crisis and beyond

Why is social media important during a crisis?

• Crisis Communication: Using social media allows for a rapid response to the broadest possible audience, without filtering by a third party.
• Media Consumption: Over the past several years, there has been a major shift from print news to online and digital news. Put your message in front of your audience members by meeting them where they congregate.
• Social Power: Traditional methods of broadcasting news (school newsletters, press releases, etc.) assume a passive target audience. But with the use of online tools, everyone has a voice.

Three key ways to use social media during and after a crisis

• Monitor buzz
  Pay attention to the conversation(s) going on about the crisis, and help direct the buzz.
• Engage with community
  Aim for dialogue: pose a message, listen to the response, and reply appropriately.
• Turn community members into broadcasters
  Ask community members to help multiply your reach by sharing the news with their friends and groups.