Online Crisis Management
Even more than offline crises, online crisis management requires you to be first, be right, be credible and be empathetic.
Learn how to monitor your online reputation, track what people are saying about you and your brand and how to respond immediately, and effectively, to an online crisis using social media.
Best Crisis PR Tips
Here’s our newest collection of crisis PR tips, crisis planning strategies and tactics to help you build a bullet-proof crisis communications plan. It’s now located on our PR and Social Media Insight curated pages on Scoop.it when you can browse hundreds of the newest articles from around the Internet.
Online Crisis PR & Management Tips Archive
For researchers, students and for writers looking for historical articles, the archive below has our original best online crisis PR posts from 2008 to 2013.
Other crisis management resources you may find useful: Crisis Planning, Crisis Management Tips & Resources, Media Monitoring, Media Training and Social Media Monitoring. And, the PR Coach’s own blog This Just In… will also keep you current twice a week. Sites with a W are PR Coach “winners.”
3 Tips for Managing Nasty Remarks About Your Client in Comment Sections
Crisis communications tips for online comments.
3 Ways to Tell a Social Media Problem from a Crisis
Jay Baer shares social media crisis tips.
4 Reasons JetBlue Nailed Their Social Media Response To Crazy Flight Attendant
Learn how JetBlue managed this online crisis well.
4 Social Media Management Tips For Communication During a Crisis
Smart social media tips for crisis management.
5 Extreme Tactics for Removing a Reputation Attack from Google’s Index
Sound advice for online crisis management.
5 Steps for Crisis Management Using Social Media
In a crisis, these five steps can make things smoother.
5 Tips for Handling Negative Social Media Comments on Facebook in Real-Time
Chris Syme shares valuable social media tips.
5 ways social media can help avert a crisis
Useful crisis management tips.
6 Steps for Protecting Corporate Reputation in the Social Media Age
Useful online crisis basics.
6 Tips for Handling Breaking Crises on Twitter
Here are six useful tips to help you manage an online crisis using Twitter.
6 Ways to Avoid a Social Media Meltdown
Here’s how to avoid an online crisis.
7 Best Practices for Crisis Management in Social Media
Basic online crisis PR tips.
7 Guidelines for What to Do in a Social Media Crisis
Crisis PR tips from Heidi Cohen.
8 Scary Truths About Social Media Crises
Melissa Agnes shares tips. W
10 Must-Have Elements for a Social Media Crisis Plan
Ten elements you’ll want to include in your crisis communications plan. W
10 Ways to Use Your Blog to Manage a Crisis
Your blog can be a valuable crisis asset writes Jeff Domansky. W
50+ Sites to Help You Bury Negative Posts About You or Your Company
Building profile and positive links on these 50+ sites can help rebalance negative posts says Jeff Quinn.
A Simple Reply Turns 1/5 of Detractors into Fans
Research says don’t run ‘n hide.
A Social Media Crisis Plan. Yes, You Need One
Solid crisis PR tips from Shelley Kramer.
Applying Risk Communication Principles to Social Media Crisis
Excellent article & insight. W
Attacked on the Web
Web crisis management strategies from Rick Amme.
BP Lost Control Before the Oil Spilled
According to Kevin Dugan, BP’s online communication lacked true engagement before the crisis. W
Basics of Online Reputation Management
Lee Odden offers tips on what and where to monitor, treat the symptoms and engage to address the cause of your online reputation challenge.
Best Practices for Crisis Communications Over Social Media
15 tips to help you handle a PR nightmare online. W
Bitch Slap
A site where Twitter users can go after you or your brand.
Breakout: Building Trust During a Media Maelstrom
The California wildfires demonstrated the importance of social media to help build trust in a crisis.
Chesapeake Energy Fights Bad PR with Promoted Tweets
Credible social media crisis response? Not so much. W
Cloudy with a Chance of Communications
Before your next crisis incident, get your social media ducks n a row.
Crisis Communications and Social Media
Advergirl shows how to integrate social media into your crisis planning.
Crisis Communications: Dark Sites 101
A good primer on “dark sites” and how to use them in crisis preparedness by Ed Lee.
Crisis Communications in Social Media: Are You Ready?
Valeria Maltoni looks at the challenges of crisis communications in a crisis with the speed and interdependency of social media. W
Crisis Management Through Social Media
Smart thinking and tips for online crisis management.
Crisis PR: In Vancouver, Social Media Was a Riot
An indepth review of the Stanley Cup riots and the critical role of social media in fueling it, portraying it instantly to the world, showing the city’s response and identifying the perpetrators. This event will be studied by sociologists and social media gurus for years! W
Crisis PR Plans Incomplete Without Social Media Component
Excellent 10-point checklist and online crisis strategies.
CutlerGate: How the Bears Dropped the PR Ball
NFL Bears fumbled this social media crisis.
Defusing the Corporate Social Media Timebomb
Are you managing your social media risk?
Dialing the Noise Up to Eleven: US Airways Flight 1549 and Citizen Media
A lesson in the speed and impact of citizen journalism in a crisis.
Digital Reputation Management with SEO, Social Media & PR
You can’t ignore online reputation management and Lee Odden suggests you better add SEO and social media tools to your PR response. W
Directory of Social Media Monitoring Platforms & Tools
450+ social media monitoring tools reviewed. W W
Do We HAVE to Social Media?
Lee Hopkins on bad PR and poor online crisis management.
Dominos Responds to Brand Crisis Through Social Media
Useful overview of Dominos’ response to its YouTube crisis, what it did well and could have done better. W
Dominos’ YouTube Crisis: 5 Ways to Fight Back
TIME article examines Domino’s dilemma and five ways to respond to online reputation threats. W
Domino’s Pizza YouTube Fiasco: A Lesson in Online Crisis Management
More lessons from the Domino’s online crisis and response, highlighted by Dan Kahn.
Don’t Overreact to a Potential Social Media Crisis
Sage crisis management advice.
FAQ Your Way Through a Social Media Crisis
Useful crisis tips from Melissa Agnes.
Five Rules for Managing Twitter When a Crisis Strikes
Thoughtful crisis PR insight from Brad Phillips.
Five Social Media Crisis Communications Tips
Five great crisis PR tips from Bill Salvin. W
Getting Social in a Crisis
Social media are increasingly being used in the aftermath of crises.
How Do We Use Social Media In a Disaster?
Excellent crisis and social media analysis by Jeff Bullas.
How Social Media Can Help in a Crisis: Entergy, HootSuite, Hurricane Isaac
Useful crisis PR POV.
HOW TO: Avoid a Social Media Disaster
Five tips to help you avoid social media crises.
How to Avoid Committing Social Media Gaffes
Useful school PR tips.
HOW TO: Avoid a Social Media Disaster
Five tips to help you avoid social media crises.
How to Deal with Negative Online Sentiment About Your Brand
All about online badvocates and excellent tips on responding. W
How to Manage a Social Media Crisis & Design a Crisis Communications Plan
Good overview of managing an online crisis.
How to Respond to a Blog Crisis
Five steps from Rohit Bhargava to help you respond effectively to online critics.
How to Respond When Digital Social Activists Have You in Their Crosshairs
Three tactics for turning social-media fueled haters’ antics against them.
How to stop social media becoming anti-social
Ann Bird offers five tips to handle a social media crisis better. W
How to Un-Google Yourself & Push Bad News Off Page 1
Smart tips to manage your online reputation.
How to Use Social Media for Crisis Management
Kristi Hines talks about best practices managing crises using Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. W
How Toyota Used Social Media to Build Brand Advocacy During a Crisis
Andy Sernovitz shares a social media crisis management success story.
In Case of Emergency, Update Your Facebook Status
Innovative crisis PR use of social media.
Internet Rumors and Dealing With Them
Rick Amme has practical tips on dealing with online rumors, starting with the need for speed.
Is Your Comment Response Chart Ready?
Thoughtful social media/crisis strategy from Deirdre Breakenridge.
Is Your School Ready to Use Social Media in a Crisis?
Crisis management insight: planning is everything including social media.
KitchenAid: An Excellent Example in Social Media
Back in control? Melissa Agnes looks at crisis management online.
Learning From the Mistakes of KMart, Motrin and FedEx
Three social media mistakes and many lessons learned.
Live Crisis Scenarios in Digital
Three crisis PR scenarios worth reading. W
Making Good Use of Your Blog in a Social Media Crisis
Smart tips for using a blog in a crisis. W
Managing Negative Comments in Social Media
Practical online crisis PR tips.
Mayo Clinic Crisis Management
Will that be social media with your crisis PR? Jonathan Bernstein looks at how active social media use makes crisis communication easier.
McSpotlight
While not a crisis, this anti-McDonald’s website show how opponents can mobilize online.
Mind the Gap: PR When Things Go Bad
Watching how the Gap handles their logo controversy is an interesting study in crisis management. W
Negative Online Data Can Be Challenged, at a Price
Remember, crisis managers. The web never forgets and strategies when you need help.
Nike, Just Do It: When a Local Story Runs Away on the Web and Leads to Change
Brian Solis explores Nike’s mishandling of a local story leading to a better PR outcome after a social media firestorm.
Online Crisis Communications: Beware of the Dark Site Young Skywalker
Heidi Sullivan looks at the value of “dark sites” in crisis communications.
Online Crisis Management Reflections of 2012 & Forecasts for 2013
Karen Freberg looks at crisis trends.
Online Reputation Management: 10 Minutes a Day to Monitor Your Company’s Reputation
In just 10 minutes a day, you can monitor your company’s reputation writes Amy Lea Rudmick.
Online Reputation Management: 16 Free Tools
16 free tools to help you monitor blogs, Twitter and links as well as several other useful reputation management tools.
Online Reputation Management: Dealing with Negative Search Engine Results
Great crisis PR advice from Melissa Agnes.
Online Reputation Management for Individuals
What can you do to ensure your own reputation is viewed positively online? Lee Odden responds.
Online Reputation Management: How to Handle Negative Publicity
Consider these key questions and be thoughtful about responding to negative online comments.
Online Reputation Management: Radically Transparent Monitoring & Managing Reputations Online
Mike Yanke reviews the new online reputation management book by Andy Beal and Dr Judy Strauss.
Online Reputation Management: The Basics
Follow a three-step process in an online crisis says Alyssa Gregory.
Organizations struggle to reach employees during Sandy
Valuable lessons, crisis PR tips.
Papa John’s receipt fracas and social media response
Did they move fast enough to quell the crisis?
Perils of Online Crisis Public Relations
12 tips to help you manage online crisis PR. W
Practical, basics: Crisis Communications: Engagement in a Social World
How to handle crisis PR in the instant online world.
Preparing for Social Media Crises
Cynthia Clark shares tips on online crisis management.
Public Relations: Crisis Communications in the Era of Social Media
Failing to protect the image in a crisis can result in net losses of up to 15% of enterprise value, while properly doing so, can add an average of 5%. W
Redskin Players Show Why Employers Fear Twitter
Great NFL case study by Gerald Baron highlights Twitter’s real-life risks.
Reinventing Crisis Communications for the Social Web
A valuable review of how to listen to social media and how to respond effectively in an online crisis by Brian Solis. W
Reputation Management Crisis? 8 Crucial Priorities
Eight key search engine and monitoring steps to take when online crises hit and your reputation is at risk.
Reputation Crises Management: 8 SEO Triage Tips
Marty Weintraub shares eight time-tested SEO tips to help you manage an online crisis.
Retailer Follow Up on Negative Reviews Pays Off
Customer service axiom holds in social media too.
Rethinking What Qualifies as a Social Media Crisis
Thoughtful social media crisis management reminder.
Schools, Social Media, and Crisis Communications [Infographic]
Valuable crisis PR tips for all.
Six Steps To Fighting Internet Rumors
Superb advice about online crisis management from Christopher Barger. W
Social Media and Content Marketing Imperative for Crisis Management
Bringing social media into crisis PR.
Social media and crisis management lessons learned
Tough lessons for Penn State Football.
Social Media and the Media Cycle
Crisis management and response is mostly common sense.
Social Media Crisis Communications for Nonprofits
Helpful social crisis PR tips from Kevi Leroux Miller.
Social Media Crisis Management: A No-Nonsense Guide
Mack Collier shares excellent tips. W
Social Media DO’s and DON’Ts: 6 Remedies for Any Emergency
Valuable crisis management case studies worth reading.
Social Media for Reputation Repair
Being prepared, social-ready is the best crisis strategy you can have.
Social Media in Crisis Communication
Gerald Baron and Dr John “Pat” Philben look at the importance of drills to check crisis response capacity.
Social Media in Crisis Communication: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Informative crisis PR case study. W
Social Media in Times of Crisis: Following the #JapanQuake
In Japan, social platforms took on a much more serious — and crucial — role as a key information resource.
Social Media Screw-Ups
5 stars, SUPERB presentation of social media muck ups! W
Social Media To The Rescue: Getting Your Brand Back on Track When a Crisis Breaks
Eight steps to recovering from a social media crisis.
Social Media Workshop – PR & Crisis Communications
An excellent book/slide “courseware” presentation on social media strategy, PR and crisis communications by Laurel Papworth. W
Super-size PR Crisis: McDonald’s Targeted in Online Hoax
Quick social media crisis response helps quell hoax quickly.
Taco Bell Uses Social Media to Ward Off PR Crisis
How Taco Bell dealt with consumer social media beefs.
Tactics for Online Crisis Management
SEO can be a useful crisis management tool suggests Julian Matthews.
Tech Savvy Skills You Need to Acquire Before a Social Media Crisis (Checklist)
Melissa Agnes shares a useful social media crisis checklist. W
The Five Stages of a Social Media PR Disaster
Useful online crisis management advice for nonprofits.
The I-Reporter – Born of the Web
Jonathan Bernstein says crisis management has changed dramatically with the internet as the world’s largest media channel where anyone can be an I-reporter. He adds eight tips to manage an online crisis. W
The New Transparency: When Communications Worlds Collide
Social media threats or opportunities asks Bob Geller? Transparency and open conversations are the antidotes.
The Power of Twitter: Iran Election as a Case Study in Crisis Communication
Amy Lea Rudnick points to the use of Twitter during the Iran elections as a demonstration of online crisis communication.
The Role SEO Plays in your Social Media Crisis Plan
SEO and practical crisis planning tips. W
The Short Life of a PR Fiasco
Some public relations crises are short-lived.
Top 10 Crisis Management Case Studies: How Social Media Can Help Airlines Deal With Worst Nightmares
Excellent analysis and 10 airline crisis case studies by Marco Serusi. W
The Value of Setting Up a Social Media Presence, Crisis Communications [Video 2:48]
Panel of four discusses importance setting up social media channels before a crisis strikes.
The Weiner Principle: Plus 5 More Social Media Meltdowns
Five good examples of bad social media practices.
Top 2 PR Crises of 2010 Involve Taking Eye Off Social Media
Good crisis PR replay and lessons from Angelo Fernando.
Turning Lemons into Lemonade: 11 Components of a Social Media Crisis PR Plan
Paula Berg offers 11 excellent social media crisis planning tips. W
Twitter and Crisis Communications – Some Thoughts from Neil Chapman
Twitter as a crisis tool? Powerful, dramatic, far-reaching, viral and far from perfect.
Twitter, Tragedy and Mumbai
A look at how Twitter coverage of the Mumbai tragedy helped it break through into mainstream media coverage.
Twitter, tragic events, price of social media stupidity
Reflecting on crisis PR in the social media age.
US Airways Fails Web Crisis Communications
Toby Ward wonders why US Airways didn’t use the web fast enough, especially with a heroic pilot, positive crash outcome and huge internet coverage.
Using Social Media – Before and After a Crisis [Video 7:33]
How to use social media to build online communities of support during a crisis with Dallas Lawrence. W
Using Social Media in a Higher Education Crisis
Chris Syme shares valuable crisis PR infographic.
We are Not the Customer
Smart thinking by McDonald’s in an online crisis response.
What to Do If You Get a Bad Online Review
Practical social media management tips.
What to Do When Google Shows Negative Results About You
Here’s how to respond to negative search results.
When disaster strikes: There’s no app for that
I think we need both social media and traditional.
Wisdom from the Computer Goddess
Jonathan Bernstein interviews SEO expert Chesa Keane about tips on online reputation management. W
Your Social Media Disaster Kit
What to do in a brand meltdown online.
Photo credit: Maistora
This crisis planning resource is curated by Jeff Domansky. Follow him on Twitter @ThePRCoach or his Scoop.it curation site Public Relations & Social Media Insight.
