Blogging in a Crisis: An Interview
Do your clients or does your company have a crisis communications plan? Hopefully the answer is yes. But if we thought crisis communications was a challenge before, think again as we (fear) factor the blogosphere into our plans. Talk about controlling the message. It was one thing when your worst nightmare (on Elm Street) was a 60 Minutes ambush interview. Now we along with 60 Minutes must worry about bloggers ambushing from multiple fronts as Dan Rather experienced with President Bush's National Guard record in the 2004 Presidential election.
To get some perspective, I recently spoke with Erin Byrne, managing director of interactive at Burson-Marsteller for the past 8 years. If anyone should know about crisis communications in the interactive age, it is Erin. Her PR firm helped write the book on crisis communications as they helped Johnson and Johnson through the Tylenol scare.
Dan Greenfield: Halloween is fast approaching. In the age of blogging, should clients feel scared, very, very scared when it comes to crisis communications?
Erin Byrne: Clients should only be scared (very, very scared) if they fail to recognize that the way people communicate has completely changed, and there are no longer separate online and offline communications. Companies can not afford to ignore user-generated media, search, and word-of-mouse, just like they can't afford to ignore traditional media. The smartest companies will develop crisis preparedness plans that include training, policies and protocols for leveraging online communications as part of a holistic approach to crisis management.
Greenfield: Besides creating opportunities for firms that specialize in crisis communications, how does blogging benefit PR practitioners who must manage communications in a crisis?
Byrne: The rapid-fire pace of the blogosphere provides an opportunity for PR practitioners to tap the pulse of the public by reading blogs, and provides a mechanism for clients to engage in conversations with various stakeholder groups. Whereas press releases are an excellent tool to distribute a company's position on a matter, they are primarily a one-way communication. Blogs allow companies to create conversations, answer questions, refute criticism and reach target audience groups when they are engaged in a particular issue or topic. Provided they follow the rules of the road, blogs can be a powerful new tool for companies who must manage crisis situations.
Greenfield: How does new media change the rules of crisis communications?
Byrne: New media changes the rules in that everything is immediate. Content, responses, reactions, the ability to get additional information - it all happens in real time, especially in a crisis, due to the way blogs and other new media have changed the communications cycle. This has forced companies in many cases to respond more quickly than they are accustomed to, and often over a longer period of time. Blogs are just another touch point to reach varied audience groups, and one that allows you to reach them in a conversational, informal tone without the wrapping of PR or advertising. This authenticity can be very helpful in a crisis.
Greenfield: What role do bloggers play?
Byrne: Much of this depends on the crisis being managed. The blogosphere and Internet communications in general have created a thirst for immediate information on a deeper level. A cursory response will not satisfy online information-seekers, and an unacceptable response can create chatter and questions about a company and their intentions. However, bloggers create an opportunity as well - for companies who are willing to engage in Internet conversations they have a significant opportunity to deepen loyalty in their company and products.
Greenfield: Does a crisis change your relationship to bloggers?
Byrne: Depending on the crisis it can make one more wary of or reliant on bloggers. When there is a crisis that gets covered online, it is very important that companies engage influential bloggers as another channel to reach target audience groups. Ideally they will have created a buzz map in advance that identifies what blogs/sites are speaking on relevant topics the most, notes the sites that consumers turn to for related information, and then compares the two to identify the sites that yield the most influence for a particular company/issue. Most companies will have several buzz maps depending on their business and needs, i.e. one for corporate issues, a different one for product-related, another one perhaps on an industry sector, etc. It is critically important that companies begin engaging influential bloggers before the crisis hits.
Greenfield: How do you decide which bloggers to respond to? Would you ever go to a blogger first over a mainstream reporter?
Byrne: This completely depends on the situation. For example, many consumer packaged goods companies often face and need to address internet rumors. This may be a situation where a response to a blogger will suffice.
We work with clients to develop a decision tree and then determine which bloggers to respond to on a case by case basis. We consider the range of influence, number of comments, tone of the blog, willingness to consider an alternate point of view, and potential risks. In order for us to respond there has to be potential to be heard, a willingness to have a conversation, and some level of influence relative to the risk. Even if a blogger is a "plant," or a competitor posing as a legitimate blogger, the other participants and readers are probably real, so it still pays to proceed with caution, and to follow the rules of the blogosphere.
Greenfield: Why do you think most crises start in the blogosphere and spread to mainstream media versus the other way around?
Byrne: I think this depends on the type of crisis and the audiences affected. Technology companies are likely more vulnerable to having crisis start and/or spread online due to the tech savvy nature of their target audience groups. Rumors and product recalls/challenges also can spread like wildfire online, due to the fact that it is easy for online information-seekers to spread this content using their own personal communications networks. However, mainstream media still provides air cover to share news of a company crisis, and needs to be addressed as well. It isn't an either/or situation.
Greenfield: Finally, what are the essentials in dealing with bloggers in a crisis?
Byrne: As with any online communication, honesty and transparency are mandatory. Disclosing your true motives in reaching out to a blogger are important, and it is always advisable to have examples of third party credibility available. Speaking in an appropriate and credible tone is also necessary - bloggers do not want to be a channel for your marketing efforts. But, if you speak with an authentic voice on relevant topics they will welcome your participation.
Greenfield: Erin, thanks for your time
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Blogging changes the dynamics of a crisis; for better and for worse, they require us to respond on more fronts and in more voices. Ultimately blogs or no blogs, certain rules of engagement remain constant. Planning and conducting internal simulations are critical to understanding the chain of command and the threshold to activate a crisis communications team. Whether we are dealing with new or old media, we must act quickly, recognize the crisis, communicate the steps being taken to resolve the crisis, and announce measures being instituted to avoid a similar crisis in the future. In the end, it is imperative to not let the crisis define you, but for you to define the crisis.
Let me get back to you.
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