Social media sites make it easy to brand your business. Unlike traditional forms of marketing, social media marketing allows you to instantly communicate your message to your prospects. It is with this ease of use that can also get you into a PR nightmare. Would you know what to do if someone in your office makes an offensive or inappropriate social post? More importantly, how do you react if someone in your social network sees that post and reports you? It’s time you learn the Social Media Playbook for how to handle Social Media PR blunders.

Step 1: The best offense is a good defense. If you make a mistake, and people see it, own up to it. The best thing about social media is that it provides for a quick communication turnaround time. Get right into the conversation and apologize if anyone was offended.

Step 2: Offense sells tickets, but defense wins games. Your social media offense comes in the form of the updates you make to your social media profiles, and it’s gotten you a certain number of fans. But make a bad defensive move, and you can lose a fan, follower or connection. Even when you stand by your post, insulting or arguing with your social media prospect or customer is the fastest way of losing a point in the social media marketing game.

Step 3: Pain is only temporary but victory is forever. Addressing this social media blunder internally will help avoid future social media disasters. Talk to your staff about what you consider appropriate material for your social media marketing updates. Also, it is important that the staff you designate this responsibility to is well versed in the laws and policies of each social media accounts you are utilizing.

Step 4: Stick to the game plan, but audible when necessary. Having an internal game plan for social media marketing and sticking to it is the key to victory. But sometimes, calling an audible is a necessary part of the game (most of us know in football terms, this means calling a play on the fly). Social media allows people to publish instantly and with ease. It’s important not to let the approval process slow you down from responding to an URGENT social media matter. A simple apology or acknowledgement can go a long way.

Step 5: Practice makes perfect. Don’t be afraid to get in the game. The more your post, the more familiar you’ll get with the social media landscape, and the less likely you’ll find yourself in a social media PR nightmare.

Vera Galace
SEO & Social Media Manager
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com