Our innate need for connection is why social media marketers are so important in this digital age. Social media IS the first stop for customers to connect, read the latest news, and see how we are reacting to all of it. As we assume most of the SMM industry did when the Ukraine crisis news broke earlier this month, we were deeply saddened by the tragedy and halted all scheduled posts to regroup. Do we post our scheduled content? Does OUR voice matter right now? How do we comment on the current events?   

Let’s touch on a few ways we can execute a mindful, empathetic, and informed content strategy to foster our digital communities.   

Stay Informed, Audit & Practice Social Listening  

Begin by reviewing your scheduled content and adjust copy or delete anything (images & posts) that may appear insensitive to the current situation. This may be tricky and there may be missteps, so keep reading for our tip on how to ameliorate the situation. During this time, monitor your niche’s community to see what is being searched, what topics are being discussed, and what is causing stress and anxiety.    

Have you tried social listening? Social listening tools can help create an effective response strategy and provide deeper insights into discussions surrounding your brand, industry, and current news. Scheduling platforms like Tweetdeck, Buffer, Sprout Social, and Hootsuite provide these tracking tools!

Content Strategy  

As we have seen through the COVID-19 global crisis, we truly do not know what the next day will have in store, so creating an adaptable content strategy is key going forward.   

Types of Content | Depending on the brand, not every post needs to relate to the crisis, in fact, you should evaluate if your audience NEEDS to hear from you – this is not the time to send a hasty post out. Be informed, fact check, get it peer-reviewed, and then send it off once approved. Your audience will appreciate momentary silence with an appropriate response than a rapid-fire inaccurate or insensitive post – see some mindful post ideas you could implement into your content calendar below.   

Selecting Images | During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were cognizant of sharing images of gatherings or anything violating social distancing norms. Being sensitive to the crisis at hand, regardless of the post topic, shows your audience that you are listening to the current events, your brand is informed, and that you care.   

Foster a Sense of Community & Navigating Negative Comments   

While a global crisis isn’t an opportunity to capitalize, it can be an opportunity to connect with your community in a way that you haven’t before and show that compassionate side to your brand’s personality.  

If you receive a negative comment, whether it was warranted or not, pause before responding and decide if a reply is necessary – always come from a place of compassion and service to your brand first. If it was a misstep on your account’s behalf, issue a team-reviewed apology (if you work alone, ask a friend to review!). Audiences favor genuine apologies as opposed to well-scripted ones.   

Reach out to your community or our Become Intertwined team if you have any questions or additions.