A brand’s image and reputation are everything, especially in the fast-paced digital world of social media.
Often, an image that takes years to build can be destroyed in a matter of minutes because of anything from a bad customer experience, employee misconduct, to major operational disruptions that go viral.
It is a PR team’s job to manage this crisis, do some damage control, and see how they can turn this crisis into an advantage for the brand.
Throughout marketing history, we have seen many examples of effective and ineffective PR campaigns that have either elevated a brand’s image or destroyed it completely. Here are the key factors we can learn from those who have gone before us.
- The PR team must work fast
Speed is essential with PR crisis management. Letting the negative content about a brand continue and spread throughout the digital world only makes the problem bigger. A fast and decisive response is needed to put an end to the problem or reduce the damage that the crisis could cause.
- The response must be honest and authentic
It has been proven many times over that denial will only make the brand’s image worse especially when the evidence is scalding. A brand that owns up to its mistakes, and shows concern and the initiative to fix it often gains more respect from the audience rather than losing a large market share. Any brand that can admit its faults and take the steps to become better can earn the public’s trust. In today’s digital age, silence or refusal to address an issue may bring more harm than good. Measure your response (or non-response) accordingly.
- The communication and resolution must be clear
After admitting faults or at least stating the start of an investigation, it is crucial for a brand to keep the public updated with details. Updating them with facts and concrete steps shows the public that a brand is genuine with their intentions of fixing the problem and wants to do the right thing for all parties concerned.
- The crisis must be monitored even after the fact
Observation and monitoring of media coverage and social media is a necessary step for the brand to keep track of the public’s view and feelings toward the situation, which then allows for adjustments to marketing & PR strategies.
Having a team ready
A crisis happens when you least expect it, but like real life catastrophes, being prepared can help reduce the damage.
Having an expert crisis PR team ready to handle a situation like this is essential. Many companies outsource to PR agencies like NGP IMC.
You have the expertise of tried and tested PR professionals without the hassles of wasted expenses or assets. What’s more, a dedicated PR team can focus on crisis response, wherever and whenever it happens.
Crisis response on social media
As the digital world has developed, so too have the crisis management strategies. One such strategy is how to interact with social media users from the different platforms that are available.
Related: How to Manage a Social Media Crisis in 2025: Best Practices for Brands
To be effective, a brand should know its audience, and how those audiences differ based on the social media they use.
Facebook has acquired a more visually–based counterpart in Instagram, in which users heavily base their usage based on what they watch or see, while social media such as X is generally sticking to its original function of using the written word to spread perspectives or ideas.
More recently, a new social media platform has become the new hype, and it goes by the name of Threads. From its function, the Instagram-linked channel seems like a direct competitor to X, so how would a brand go about to engage the different audiences from these two social media sites?
- Know The Platforms
First, let’s look at the differences between the two platforms.
X and Threads are both text based social media platforms.
Threads is connected to Meta, particularly to Instagram, while X stands on its own.
Threads is mostly used by Gen Z and Millennials and those who are more prone to use Facebook and Instagram, while X has a more serious and established user base.
Threads has more censored content, and leans towards positive content and casual interests, while X is more serious and much of its content is about uncensored news and raw truth.
To add to this, the filtering and guidelines of Threads focuses on reducing harmful content and creating a positive environment; while X is more hands-off and gives users a wider range of what they want to post.
These facts now allow for a general summary of the audiences that use each platform.
- Know Your Audience
A brand must know and define its audience before it can implement any strategy, including for PR crisis management.
In essence, Threads aims to be a more community-focused space that aims for a positive vibe while following in the general direction of its social media predecessors of Facebook and Instagram.
X, on the other hand, functions as a source for real-time news, broad discussions, live updates, and has a less moderated environment.
- Know Your Approach
Knowing the above now allows you (or your partner PR agency) to personalize the message you want to release, and how to do it effectively.
As the demographics dictate that Threads users are more likely younger and more influenced by Instagram and Facebook, the community is most likely to be a visual-based one. Content released here would be better received were it in the form of a short video, carousel, or reel, in which the brand was to address the crisis.
On the other hand, X would be more reachable through a straightforward approach within it’s limited character count. The shorter and more direct, the better; content with the details and facts of the situation written out for the X community to have an open discussion about. The content itself will be based on the strategy that the PR agency is implementing.
With Threads the content should appeal to the better nature of man, showcasing humanity, and how everyone can grow from the situation. With X, the content is meant to entice broad discussion – in both cases getting the community to defend the brand against the rest of the community.
Refining the Responses with Your PR Partner
The details of the crisis will lead to better strategies to implement for each platform and other social media platforms likewise. From this thought process however, a brand can see how there is a right tool for each situation, and a proper way to use it to be the most effective.
PR agencies are highly skilled with these tools and know which tools to use for which scenarios. In the same vein, they can stick to key messages, asses media pulse, and communicate more effectively and timely amidst crises. Having a PR agency at the ready is like having a SWAT team prepared for escalating situations. They will get it done right with the tools they have mastered.
Master your crisis PR with us. Contact NGP IMC for crisis management today.
Jem earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Asia and the Pacific. When h’s not sharpening his digital marketing skillset, he’s out writing technical articles or reading a good book (or two).
