Effective communication among organizations and key stakeholders is essential for crisis management. The evolution of social media and other traditional media such as television, radio, and newspapers have provided more communication options and improved information exchange capacity. Yet, it has opened the door for some unthoughtful challenges.

Social Media CrisisRecently, ISO has released a new standard, “ISO 22329:2021 Security and resilience — Emergency management — Guidelines” for using social media in emergencies. This standard focuses on crisis communication among organizations and the public, using social hubs as a critical aspect in emergency management.

The new standard aims to guide organizations and the public in using and interacting through social media before, during, and after a critical event and highlight how social media can support the work of emergency services. Many have considered ISO 22329:2021 as a game-changer in this domain because it considers making the best use of the available networking platforms and conveying the correct information to stakeholders at the right time.

Organizations must acknowledge the potential benefits and threats associated with social media as a part of their crisis communication strategy. Even though social media can improve situational awareness and real-time communication, it spreads inaccurate and misleading information in many cases with or without purpose. Smart organizations can take advantage of potential benefits and offset negative consequences via the appropriate use of social media.

Even though social media can improve situational awareness and real-time communication, it spreads inaccurate and misleading information in many cases with or without purpose.

Optimize organizational social media messaging using crisis management platforms

Harnessing crisis management platforms to build social media messaging

It is important to highlight that the standard is not a self-standing solution. ISO 22329 is meant to guide and support organizations and the public on communicating through social media during incidents life cycle. From a broader scope, smart organizations must consider pre-measures and practices to ensure optimal social media messaging. Harnessing the crisis management platforms can significantly enhance organizational capacity to demonstrate resilience in response to the crisis by creating new avenues for collaboration to help build more resilient messaging over time. For example, investing in crisis management platforms like RAYVN allows organizations to manage critical events and connect and network with key stakeholders, namely emergency services. Under the umbrella of ISO 22329, RAYVN as a tool offers a relationship-building capacity that initiates trust between interested parties when collaborating on crisis handling.

Harnessing the crisis management platforms can significantly enhance organizational capacity to demonstrate resilience in response to the crisis by creating new avenues for collaboration to help build more resilient messaging over time.
Effective crisis management tools can support social media in overcoming the following barriers:
1. Connectivity
Critical event management platforms like RAYVN can instantly connect users with related external stakeholders to discuss and share information and knowledge that help in decision-making. This shapes a wiser social media messaging and satisfies the public’s demand for reliable and meaningful information about an ongoing critical event.
2. Collaboration
Collaboration can speed up the recovery process and is considered a key factor to reinforcing a corporation’s reputation and saving a public image. Close collaboration with stakeholders might identify strengths and potentials that aid crisis management and accelerate decision-making. Available communication and collaboration channels such as video conferencing and instant reporting systems create a sense of community and responsibility to contribute to crisis management to protect the public image. Such features are great for discussing updates and complex situations in real-time and agreeing on further messages, public statements, and further consequence steps.
3. Planning
Real-time communication and information sharing between related teams and stakeholders will help establish a well-managed public communication strategy. This strategy ensures that your messages are well formulated, effectively transmitted, and the intended public response.
4. Reducing uncertainty
Such a platform allows related stakeholders to provide quality data and clear information, each according to their specialty, reducing uncertainty confusion and preventing rumors and speculations internally and when communicating with the general public.

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