There’s no denying the role of social media in shaping modern public relations and brand awareness. However, some companies tend to commit social media mistakes inevitably. Think of publishing culturally insensitive articles, posting offensive comments, or sharing unethical/immoral memes on their platforms.
Case in point: In 2022, Balenciaga faced major backlash over an ad campaign featuring kids holding teddy bears that looked like they were in bondage gear. Social media erupted, with many accusing the brand of being inappropriate. The controversy led to a drop in sales, a loss of 100,000 Instagram followers, and Balenciaga falling out of Lyst Index’s top 10 brands.
When this happens, how do you control the damage and fix your brand reputation? With that being asked, here’s how to repair your brand trust after a social media misstep:
Key Steps for Fixing Your Brand after a Social Media Misstep
It’s no surprise how social media has taken over people’s lives. With about 5.07 billion global users, it now makes up nearly 63% of the worldwide population. Not only do individuals use these channels for personal interactions, but brands also utilize them for business transactions.
Companies and organizations leverage social media for stakeholder engagement. Think of online sellers doing live selling on TikTok, e-commerce businesses posting product photos on Instagram, or digital marketers engaging with prospects on Facebook.
However, it’s easy to commit social media missteps if you aren’t careful. Not only can these taint your brand image and damage your reputation, but you can also face legal and financial ramifications. That said, here are some mistakes to avoid at all costs:
- Offensive content
- Insensitive comments
- Inaccurate information
- Fake news
- Public arguments
- Low-quality content
- Ignoring audience
- Social media disengagement
But what if your brand gets caught in a social media fiasco? Here’s how to repair your brand trust after a misstep:
1. Acknowledge the mistake: Own up to it!
Social media mistakes are inevitable, whether cultural missteps, offensive remarks, or unethical engagements. However, recognizing what’s wrong and acknowledging your shortcomings can make a difference. Your target audience will appreciate more if you admit your mistake instead of trying to sweep it under the rug.
Maryanne Fiedler, Director of Marketing at Psychic Source, underscores the importance of acknowledgment right at the outset. She believes it’s the first step to take when committing mistakes. “Remember that your target audience understands that no brand is perfect. However, it takes courage to admit it—own up to your mistake!”
2. Address the concern: Show you care!
The next step is to develop an action plan. This commitment to correct your mistakes demonstrates you care. It shows that you value not only those impacted but all stakeholders working for and with your brand. What better way to address the concern than to show that you truly care?
Take it from Jeffrey Zhou, CEO and Founder of Fig Loans. They often publish about people having no time management as a way to recommend time blocking on social media. “But when we post something offensive, we quickly correct it. More importantly, we let our target audience realize that we only care about them.”
3. Take proper action: Go ahead and Fix it!
A line is drawn between developing an action plan and actually executing it. After acknowledging your mistake and addressing the concern, it’s time to take proper action. For example, if you find out you’ve been dealing with influencer fraud, immediately inform your audience and quickly remove fake followers. Note: TikTok alone removed 32.6 million fake followers in the first quarter of this year:
Learn from David Haskins, CEO at WrongfulDeathLawyer.com. He believes responsibility and accountability are the most critical actions when committing social media missteps. “This means that you’re willing to correct whatever mistake you’ve made and commit never to make the same mistakes again. More importantly, you’re ready to face legal and financial consequences for your action.”
4. Communicate transparently: Be honest but sincere!
Corporate communication is essential in crisis management. In this whole social media ordeal, you have to communicate not only internally but also externally. As mentioned, you must acknowledge your mistake and apologize to the impacted stakeholders. Likewise, you must inform them about your action plan and what you’ve done thus far—Transparency is key!
However, Adam Young, CEO and Founder of Event Tickets Center, recommends strategic communication during a crisis. He suggests brainstorming with your PR management team to draft effective correspondence. “Craft compelling yet truly sincere messages that resonate with your affected audience, whether it’s a press release, public apology, or a commitment to improve.”
5. Engage positively: Re-earn trust and confidence!
Now, it’s time to turn negative branding into a positive PR success story. Of course, the damage has been done, but you’ve acknowledged your mistake and done enough to correct it. So, it’s time to move on and continue to engage with your audience on social media in a positive light! But what does it take to win their hearts back? Easier said than done!
Peter Čuček, Owner at Tuuli, suggests having positive stakeholder engagements. However, he recommends being careful with your social media interactions. “Produce and publish content that’s valuable and relevant but less controversial and never offensive. Think twice when engaging with your audience, whether answering questions or responding to comments.”
6. Monitor and improve: Learn and grow!
The work doesn’t stop after the whole social media fiasco. At this point, you’ve learned and grown enough as a brand. Monitor your social media engagements and commit to continuous improvements. When done strategically, you’ll reap the benefits of digital PR on these channels. Note: Over 85% claim an active online community is key to a successful social media strategy.
John Grant, Founder and CEO at Premier Bidets, highlights the value of PR monitoring. He claims that this lets you protect your brand on social media and maintain the trust you’ve earned from your brand supporters. “Should there be areas for improvement, you can easily and quickly adjust your engagement strategies. Most importantly, you can correct social media missteps right then and there.”
Wrapping Up
Social media plays a critical role in business. These channels let you enhance your brand, engage with customers, generate leads, and even boost conversions. However, be critical and careful when utilizing and interacting with others on social media platforms.
As a brand, do what it takes to prevent committing grave and even minor mistakes. Avoid offensive content, insensitive comments, inaccurate information, fake news, public arguments, and low-quality content as much as possible.
But when you inevitably make social media missteps, follow our key steps above to fix your brand trust. By doing so, you’ll be able to restore your brand reputation and ultimately rebuild consumer confidence!
Ready to enhance your social media engagement? Capitalize on Agility PR Solutions’ AI-powered platform for effective social listening. To get started with us, speak with an expert today!
