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Crisis management: how companies stay in control online
By Jeremy Andrews, Senior Reputation Expert, TheBestReputation · · 3 min read
Effective crisis management means confirming the facts, naming one spokesperson, issuing a short holding statement, correcting errors with specific sources, and avoiding actions that create a second story. Search suppression comes later, once the coverage has quieted down.
| Stage | Priority |
|---|---|
| Contain | Facts, one spokesperson, holding statement |
| Inform | Stakeholders first: staff, clients, investors |
| Correct | Factual corrections, owned-channel response |
| Recover | Search recovery and suppression |
What not to do
- Delete posts in a way that looks like a cover-up.
- Send legal threats to reporters before the facts are clear.
- Let multiple people speak for the company.
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Common questions
- Should we respond publicly right away?
- A short holding statement, yes. A full response, only once facts are confirmed.
- When does search repair start?
- After coverage stops. Suppressing an active story is largely wasted effort.