Crisis management in Web 2.0: thanks to the social web, Internet has become a unique platform for exchanging opinions. Today users are able to share information – freely, globally, and in real time. Companies have to face up to this development. Praise and criticism on part of customers and clients are no longer exclusively uttered in private. Instead the ‘hands-on web’ offers a public basis to do so – in forums, newsgroups, blogs, social networks and via micro-blogging services. That way, every consumer becomes a potential mulitplier.

Many companies already make use of the opportunities for marketing and corporate communications offered by Web 2.0. Nevertheless, many of them still lack the necessary experience with networks and blogs. Especially when it comes to handling criticism on part of the web community, there is a great demand of information. As a result, companies are frequently not able to contain imminent image damages. But social-media tools can be excellent means to cope with crises. Not only this: in the best case they can even help to generate positive effects.

It is a matter of fact that marketing and public relations are no longer exclusively the business of the respective department. (Christine Noe and Ayenegbe Stephen)

Our white paper written by my colleagues Christine Noe and Ayenegbe Stephen elucidates this topic from a semi-scientific point and offers tips on professional prevention of a crisis in the social web. It informs you about the ways of detecting first signs of crisis at an early stage as well as about measures to be taken in case of emergency. The two of them have taken up a topic, successful PR and marketing professional cannot afford to turn a blind eye to in the year of 2009.

P.S. The English version of our white paper is a transcript from the German. For this reason the majority of the cited examples come from Germany and the corresponding sources are in German language. Thank you for your understanding!
Related articles:

• Crisis-resistant: online advertising continues in the ascendant in 2009
• Distribution instead of deletion: Streisand effect causes undesired PR
• #tc10: Is the trademark alive or is it dead and gone yet?