Crisis communications has evolved with the invention of social media, how (and how quickly) companies must respond in the event of a crisis is complex and swift. With real-time updates becoming part of the norm in the SERPs, a company in crisis should always be part of the current conversation.
Staring at the fish tank at my chiropractor’s office this week, I realized that BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the resulting sour of public opinion is an opportunity to look at social media and crisis communication.
But before we jump into the heavy conversation, here’s a little bit of comedy to loosen you up (this whole oil spill thing gets me pretty wound up, too):
And now for the topic at hand: Is BP doing as good of a job as it could with crisis communications, and is it using all the most important mediums wisely?
It may have taken a little while for BP to get its social media strategy up and running, but the company has actually done a pretty good job of identifying the avenues needed to reach people. Let’s run down the social media and online communications checklist for BP:
- Create a section of the corporate site dedicated to the event and how BP is managing it. (Check)
- Establish bloggers on the forefront to report on how the spill is affecting the area. (Check)
- Dedicate the Facebook account to keep the public updated daily on efforts and allow people to weigh in. (Check)
- Repurpose its Twitter account to include all the important contact information, daily tweets on progress and to answer questions. (Check)
- Create a channel on YouTube to share critical videos on all the areas of life that have been affected by the spill and how BP is managing it. (Check)
- Utilize Flickr to showcase images of what’s happening in the Gulf of Mexico. (Check)
- Run a depressing live stream of millions of gallons of oil spewing into the ocean 24 hours a day. (Check)
When it comes down to it, looks like BP is pretty plugged in with the tools it chose and how it’s maximizing the value of them. BP seems to be doing a decent job of transparency by allowing the public to see and weigh in on the disaster first hand, via BP. Let’s take a closer look at how the company is using social media avenues to communicate in times of crisis.
Twitter
Before the disaster at Deepwater Horizon, BP America’s Twitter page had few tweets monthly, but nothing to write home about. And even though the explosion occurred on April 20, BP didn’t give its first tweet on the disaster until April 27, simply saying:
No doubt the company was assessing the severity of the situation and what its communication strategy was going to be before it said anything. But was it too late in the game? Seven days can be like seven years in crisis time – especially if the company was waiting for the public reaction first before responding. [At the very least, they seem to finally be making headway with their actual Twitter account versus the satirical and more popular @BPGlobalPR. —Virginia]
Since its first tweet on the oil spill, BP has used Twitter on a daily basis to send updates on what it’s doing in the Gulf and sometimes even answering questions from its followers. BP listed all the important contact information on its Twitter page for various response-team departments as well as its other online sites so people can stay connected in several ways. All in all, looks like they’re doing a pretty good job with Twitter.
Facebook
BP America on Facebook followed similar suit to Twitter. Prior to the explosion, its Facebook page had few updates – maybe once every month or so. BP’s first communication was on May 2, just a few days after the initial tweet.
Since then, BP has posted updates on its Facebook page nearly every day – even on weekends and holidays. Every day, BP reports how much oil has been recovered in one day and then the grand total over time. The company also set up contact, news and notes tabs on its page, where fans can comment (and it includes the good, the bad and the ugly – sans censorship). Seems like BP is trying to being transparent by stepping aside to let the public vent.
It even looks as though it has more than 30,000 people who “like” BP’s page on Facebook. Judging by the comments on the company’s profile though, this might be a perfect example where the “like” feature on Facebook gets a little vague.
YouTube and Flickr
BP’s YouTube channel is extremely thorough. It has videos categorized by the latest response, beaches and cleanup, claims and economy, health and safety, restoration of the environment and wildlife. It even feature’s actor Kevin Costner’s amazing oil-spill invention in action. Yes, Kevin Costner is a genius and inventor. And he has the money to prove it.
BP says it created the YouTube channel to “engage the public in an informative conversation and dialogue about our efforts associated with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.”
And boy, is there discussion. I’ve seen several responses by BP on peoples’ comments, saying, “We understand that people are angry; however, we ask that your comments follow our commenting policy, which is listed in full in our Latest News section on the BP YouTube Channel page. We ask that conversations on this page be constructive, respectful, and contain language that is appropriate for all groups and ages. Thank you.”
Also looks like there’s some outcry about the removal of comments by BP on the channel. What do you think, should BP be able to moderate comments on its own turf? (P.S., Tony Hayward: spray tan much?)
At BP America’s photostream on Flickr, the company has images nicely organized by topics such as community outreach, wildlife (I give them props for showing a couple really sad images, although I’ve seen worse from other sources), cleanup and more (I have to say though that the “claims” section isn’t very riveting … I guess they just wanted to document something was being done there).
Paid Search
I just did a few quick searches on “oil spill”, “oil explosion” and “gulf oil” to see how BP was stacking up with its paid search efforts. Two of the three search terms put the company’s site front and center on the sponsored links results above the organic listings. Second in the running was an environmental group, with other similar organizations occupying the side-bar sponsored links area.
Image Beyond the Web
What happens when online, broadcasting and the real world collide in not so nice ways?
With BP doing social media by the book, you think they’d come out smelling like roses. But what about when you have to trust the company message to an executive that maybe isn’t as strategic as his PR team? Just one tiny slip up can erase a world of effort in the public’s mind.
Maybe it’s just a language barrier (“small people” might be perfectly acceptable vernacular in the executive’s homeland of Sweden when referring to “the others”), but I can just see the communications team back at headquarters cringing when they saw this. Hey, that’s the human aspect of crisis communications and it’s not always as methodical as its online counterpart.
Crisis communications spans channels – online, print, television, the real world – so who (and what) delivers the message, how it’s delivered, and how the company and its representatives present themselves in person is extremely important in situations like these.
And we must remember that different audiences are reached through each channel. So someone receiving all the news from traditional media sources may have an entirely different perspective on the situation than someone following BP on Twitter or someone working or living in the Gulf. A company has much more control over the message via its online efforts.
So, if you’ve damaged your brand through broadcasting, can you redeem yourself online? And if you’ve damaged your reputation in the real world, does your online or broadcast presence even matter?
Less Talky, More Pluggy
Crisis communications isn’t just about talking. It’s about communicating plans of action. And from the looks of it, seems like there’s a lot of action happening on the forefront by BP. But the biggest thing on peoples’ minds is, Why haven’t they been able to do more? It’s so bad right now and unfortunately, it’s still so far from over.
Strictly speaking, with regards to how BP has used the Internet for crisis communication, I think it’s doing well. And even though the company is criticized for not being 100 percent transparent, you have to realize that there’s a level of control that highlights the positive and downplays the negative in any communications/PR campaign.
A company of that size is bound to hit some snags along the way with consistency in communication, but one thing is for certain: this disaster can teach us all a thing or two when it comes to preparing for a self-inflicted crisis, how to manage the varying communication mediums and using social media to its fullest to keep the public engaged.
BP, Crisis Communications and Social Media was originally published on BruceClay.com, an SEO services and SEO tools provider.
The Friday before a holiday weekend. Brilliant time to make an announcement! 
So maybe we weren’t thinking so sharp in terms of maximum exposure, but what the heck! We want to give some cool prizes away and the people who’ve won them have waited long enough!
That’s right. The votes have been tallied. The time to announce the winners of the Small Biz Discovery Contest has arrived!
We’d like to thank everyone who entered the contest, sharing their knowledge and experience with the small business community and Bruce Clay, Inc. If you haven’t read the six entries to the contest focusing on SEO and social media marketing recommendations for small businesses online, what are you waiting for? Those who read the articles will agree with me when I guess how difficult it must have been to vote. (Seriously, I’m glad I wasn’t in your position. I just have the fun task of handing out prizes!)
The first award goes to finalist Jennifer Van Iderstyne for her article Get Over Your SEO Commitment-phobia and Take the Plunge. As a finalist, Jennifer, @Vanetcetera, will receive a copy of the hot and heavy (no really, this thing is like five pounds) Search Engine Optimization All-In-One for Dummies. Congratulations, Jennifer!
Next up, we have the category winners who have won a seat in our SEOToolSet Training Course, set here in Simi Valley, CA or Long Island, NY. The winner of the SEO category is Dvir Weininger, @CmsBuffet, for his article Thinking Outside the Bot. The winner of the social media category is Jeff Toler, @fleetliner, for his article Social Media Marketing Essentials for the Small Business Web Presence. Looking forward to meeting you at SEO training, guys!
Along the way, it occurred to us that because the grand prize winner was the top vote-getter in the SEO category (oops! Spoiler alert?), it technically meant that both the SEO category winner and runner-up would be receiving big prizes. We decided it would only be fair if the top-of-category and runner-up of the SMM entries got the same deal, so we’re also awarding a seat in SEOToolSet Training to the social media category runner-up, Chris Harmon, for his article Social Media for Small Business. Great stuff, Chris!
And now, without further ado, please help me in congratulating the grand prize winner of the Small Biz Discovery Contest: Brent Rangen!
Brent’s article, SEO for Small Business: Get an SEO Primer was selected by the voting public as the best answer to the question “What one recommendation would you give to small business owners to improve their online presence?” As the winner of the top prize, Brent will be getting a Platinum Pass to SES San Francisco 2010 and a seat in the 1-day SEO training class taught by Bruce in conjunction with the conference.
Not only did Brent’s SEO article get the most votes among the finalists, but he was also proactive in promoting the contest on Twitter and on his blog and joining discussions with other contestants in the article comments. Thank you and congrats again! You’re gonna love SES, Brent!
Congratulations to all the contestants in the Small Biz Discovery Contest! Just to celebrate, I’ll set off some fireworks for you on Sunday!
SMB Online Marketing Contest: Announcing the Winners! was originally published on BruceClay.com, an SEO services and SEO tools provider.
Just a short recap today since we were planning our big announcement. Here are a few finds to keep you entertained while you’re sunning by the barbecue this lovely holiday weekend!
Serious stuff first. Bing announced its new crawler, bingbot, will replace msnbot come October. So don’t be alarmed when your server logs recognize a new agent in the field.
Social media marketers got an exclusive sneak peak of the upcoming Digg 4.0 from Brent Csutoras. Looks like suggested profiles, integration with Twitter, Facebook and e-mail, and big changes to the categories are on the horizon.
TIME released their lists of the best, most essential and most overrated blogs of 2010. It’s worth a review to make sure you’re catching all the essentials on the ‘net.
Twitter’s been up and down for weeks now, and Mr. Whale has had enough!
You know good content when it grabs you by the nose and just reeks of truth. The 34 Stages of Editorial Enlightenment did just that, causing all members of the BCI writers team to sound off on the last five stages experienced that day. Plus, I know writers aren’t the only ones the list fits. Self-doubt is an equal opportunity offender.
Susan’s mom shared what’s possibly the most addictive game yet, Entanglement. It can be played by yourself or with others, depending on who’s willing to give up their time to that entrancing wiggly line. Bruce thanks you for the drop in productivity, Mrs. Esparza!
Here’s an astute observation you might enjoy from the daily online story tellers Story People:
That was good for a chuckle. And so is this. Our practical jokers are second to none.
Happy 4th of July!
Friday Recap: O Say, Things to See Edition was originally published on BruceClay.com, an SEO services and SEO tools provider.
How about a round-up of social news stories making the rounds on the Web today? There are some important landmarks for social media watchers to be aware of in the journey toward social media success.
A quick view of the roadmap first:
- There’s a social media traffic jam in the B2B lane.
- Google still drives more trust than social media channels.
- Users beware stranger danger! Don’t fall for social media candy.
- There’s a powerful new competitor in the race. Keep up!
Now buckle your seat belts and away we go!
Social Media Marketing Breaks Down on B2B Lead Generation
Social media marketing is a weak method of B2B lead generation, according to a study by LeadForce1. Product pages and contact pages were among the least-visited page types from social sources, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. From Facebook, visitors check out about pages and blogs most, and product pages least. From Twitter, blogs take the top spot, with product pages trailing behind in third place. And visitors from Facebook and Twitter visit just one page of a B2B site more than 63 percent of the time. Though, while social media traffic can’t be counted on for driving instant sales, this study doesn’t negate the community building, engagement generating and branding powers of social media marketing. Just be sure SMM goals line up with social media’s strengths.
Social Media Companies Still Have a Lot of Ground to Gain in User Trust
While Twitter and Facebook are the life of the party on the Web, Google, Apple and Microsoft are still far and away more trusted by the American public. Apple, Microsoft and Google were found to be trusted by 49 percent of adult respondents, while Facebook and Twitter were trusted by 13 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Among a younger crowd (18- to 29-year-olds), the established tech giants still had higher trust ratings than the social media companies, although Facebook and Twitter were viewed more trustworthy by the younger group at 20 percent and 15 percent, respectively. (It’s interesting to note that none of the above faired as poorly on the trust meter as traditional media.) The trust level of Internet marketing channels including search engines, computing device manufacturers and social media sites is worth consideration when deciding the strengths and best use of such channels.
Avoid Stranger Danger on Social Media’s Mean Streets
I knew my fears of broadcasting your whereabouts to the world were well founded. David Harry is shining a light on the trouble with services like Foursquare that encourage users to post their current locations online. The exploitable personal detail that Dave was able to find in a few short search sessions is shocking. I’m sure you can understand how sharing your home location and then sharing your current location is enough info for a would-be thief to know the coast is clear and for how long. Teens are among the most vulnerable to predation as they often share personal information without a clear understanding of potential consequences. The old saying “don’t talk to strangers” is just as relevant online today as ever before.
There’s a New Car on the Track — BlueGlass Interactive
Search & Social, 10e20 and Brent Csutoras, Inc. were always forces to be reckoned with in the Internet marketing industry, but now that they’ve teamed up, you better be ready for a challenge to your SERP space. Luckily for us, the individual members of the new BlueGlass Interactive team are all incredibly active in the community. They frequently speak at search conferences, publish news, tactics and strategies on Search Engine Journal, and organize their own educational conference series, with the next soon taking place in L.A. Recognize the challenge of a new Internet marketing force on the field and use their offerings to your advantage to push your pedal to the metal.
Getting in Gear with Social Media News was originally published on BruceClay.com, an SEO services and SEO tools provider.
