One of the wonderful things about the abundance of content marketing and social media tools is that they allow us to manage our messages without having to do it in real time.
Caution: Don’t “set and forget” your social media posts.
Update March 22, 2020:
Less than two days after Florida's governor ordered all restaurants and bars closed (except for take-out and delivery) due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Florida Lottery tweeted this:
While it follows the guidelines for effective social media posts (eye-catching image, a question designed to engage followers), it is breathtakingly insensitive at a time when Florida's hospitality industry is laying off hundreds of thousands of workers and existing establishments are struggling to survive.
I don't know for certain, but it's likely that someone on the Florida Lottery's social media team scheduled this Tweet days or even weeks ago when the message would have been fine. But as we navigate the unchartered territory of social distancing and quarantines on a global scale, it would have been smart for someone to review the scheduled posts and remove those likely to cause offense. Please continue reading my original post.
Original Post:
When a crisis occurs or a major news story breaks, immediately check your prescheduled social media and blog articles to be sure you aren't posting anything that might be interpreted as insensitive – or worse.
For example, because I had friends running in this year’s [2013] Boston Marathon, I had prescheduled a Tweet wishing all the runners well. That Tweet went live on the morning of April 15 as I was driving to a meeting – hours before the two bombs exploded not far from the place where I stood cheering my husband when he ran this marathon a few years ago.
But what if I had prescheduled some post-race congratulatory messages?
Remember the backlash when the American Rifleman Tweeted “Good morning, shooters. Happy Friday! Weekend plans?” just hours after the shooting in the Aurora, Colorado theater?
Your content marketing strategy and crisis management plan should include checking the content of any prescheduled material to make sure that you don’t cause or become collateral damage in the event of a tragedy.
Responsible team members should have access to your various content and social media tools at all times. Authorize and train them to suspend any posts that might be questionable in light of unexpected events.
Update Nov. 1, 2017
The advice about prescheduling your social media posts also applies to your email marketing.
This morning, I saw the following subject line in my inbox (I have deliberately blurred the sender's name):
Yesterday, blood was literally running in the streets in New York City, where a terrorist killed at least eight people and injured more by driving a rented truck down a bicycle path on Halloween.
Attention-getting headlines with shock value can be effective, but this one turned out to be cold, thoughtless and offensive through no fault of the sender.
When tragedies happen, check your scheduled emails, blog articles and social media posts and make adjustments as needed.
Jacquelyn's latest book is Christian Business Almanac, scheduled for release in summer 2024.
She is the author of the novel Choices (A Joyful Cup Story) as well as the nonfiction books The Simple Facts About Self-Publishing, Words to Work By: 31 devotions for the workplace based on the Book of Proverbs and Finding Joy in the Morning: You can make it through the night. With her husband, she is the co-creator of several coloring books for adults.
- Discovering the Counter-Cultural Jesus - April 12, 2024
- Google Chrome Tip: Navigating Your Tabs - March 15, 2024
- Start a Workplace Book Club - February 14, 2024
Leave A Comment