While social media is a really powerful tool to help you, it can also backfire dramatically and give you bad press you desperately don’t need. This example explains exactly why having a social-media manager can protect you and your business.
Social Media when done right can grow your business and exposure quickly. But when done wrong, the bad press can spread like wildfire. unable to be contained, and out of control. It’s important to make sure your approach doesn’t lead you down the wrong path.
This example comes during the midst of the COVID-19 regulations in Sydney. It is worth noting that there are countless examples just like this out there, however this one has made national news in a number of publications. Bad press indeed.
Context | What Happened
This specific incident requires some context as how this social media event came to be.
As reported by the media, the restaurant in question were (according to media reports) told by NSW Health that a patron who had tested positive for COVID-19 had come in close contact with one of their staff. The restaurant was (according to media reports) ordered to self-isolate the staff member, however the staff member continued to work, before later testing positive to the virus.
NSW Health also noted that:
- Failed to provide records relating to staffing and patronage in a timely manner to support public health action
- Failed to implement COVID-19 safety measures
- Did not keep contact details of patrons
- Did not have a COVID safety plan
They were ordered to shut down due to breaches of the Public Health Act 2010 in force due to COVID-19.
The problems were compounded with the social media response to the initial media reports about a suspected positive case.
This was a response to media reports that NSW Government contact tracers were struggling to get in contact with patrons because proper records were not kept (Source). It doesn’t stop there. When they received criticism from responders to the post, they lashed out at them further.
What can we learn from this. And what went wrong?
There’s a few things that all small businesses should learn from this story. Namely, the bad press from the incident was compounded by the social media response. No comment from the venue would have resulted in less damaging press for the brand. The story is now being picked up by national newspapers, on the front page and likely being commented on heavily social media. The social media equivalent of the Streisand Effect.
1 Going on the attack
By directly addressing and attacking the media attention, the venue inflames the situation by calling out the accusations. There’s nothing wrong with address unfounded accusations, but in the correct way. Additionally, you need to be absolutely certain that the media attention is false. Entirely false. Attempts to skew facts often falls flat and invites more attention. Usually negative attention.
If the accusations are entirely wrong, and you are debunking it, you need solid facts and proof. If you can’t provide solid proof enough, you may be better off saying nothing at all. There are methods for dealing with these scenarios without admitting liability or acknowledging the incident. You may have seen things like this, such as announcing a full investigation, or comments along those lines.
Going on the attack makes you appear defensive and often guilty.
2 Offensive Engagement
The second error was the engagement. Engagement with responders is usually a big component of any social media strategy, but when you’re being attacked, especially as a result of a the initial post in this scenario. There were a number of comments accusing commenters of being paid for their criticisms. This is a huge red flag. As a general rule, you should never insult or attack those engaging with your page in such a way regardless of what they say. Instead, hide the comments.
3 Responding Emotionally
Your business is your baby. So when someone insults it or makes accusations, we get it – it can be personal. But what is more important for your brand is protecting your relationship with the public. A poor PR and negative feel in the public sphere will do more damage than one article or comment. Think of it like a wound. It will heal, but by doubling down, you are effectively ripping the wound open more – creating long lasting damage. Take some time before responding, let the red mist settle before responding. This is also one of the key benefits of having an external social media team managing your response. As a social media strategy specialist, we’ve dealt with situations like this and know how to deal with them. Professionally, and correctly.
Managing socials can be hard, especially under duress from media attention or negative social media commentary. Having an external team handling this for you takes the emotion out of it, and protects your brand from negative press and media attention. Find out more and get in touch with us today to find out more.