Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop a robust **Social Media Crisis Protocol** integrated with the organization's overall CCP.
• Master the use of **Social Listening Tools** to identify spikes in volume and negative sentiment for early warning.
• Execute a rapid, platform-specific response strategy within the critical **First 30 Minutes of a Crisis**.
• Differentiate between an online complaint, a social media incident, and a full-scale social media crisis.
• Develop and utilize **'Dark' Content and Pre-Approved Statements** for instantaneous deployment on various platforms.
• Implement effective social media moderation, including policies on content deletion, user blocking, and engaging trolls.
• Advise legal and executive teams on the implications of a social media crisis, including content preservation and disclosure.
• Develop a measurement and monitoring system for post-crisis social media reputation recovery.

• Social Media Managers and Team Leads
• Digital PR and Communications Specialists
• Customer Service and Community Managers
• Crisis Management Team Members
• Legal and Compliance Officers overseeing social media channels

• Intensive, Real-Time Social Media Crisis Simulation (Scenario: Viral Negative Trend)
• Case Studies on High-Profile Social Media Meltdowns and Successful Recoveries
• Group Exercise: Developing a Platform-Specific Escalation and Response Protocol Flowchart
• Hands-on Social Listening Tool Demo and Alert Setting Workshop
• Discussions on the Ethics of Content Moderation and Blocking Users

Unit 1: Anatomy of a Social Media Crisis

• Defining the rapid escalation cycle of a social media crisis (volume, velocity, virulence).
• Differentiating between a customer complaint, a trending topic, and a genuine reputational crisis.
• Analyzing the primary sources of social crises: content errors, employee actions, service failure, and external events.
• Establishing a clear internal **Severity Rating and Escalation Protocol** for social media incidents.
• The legal and compliance implications of real-time communication on social channels.

Unit 2: Preparation and Early Warning Systems

Monitoring and Protocols
• Setting up advanced keyword, sentiment, and volume alerts in **Social Listening Tools**.
• Developing a library of **'Dark' Content** (e.g., pre-written holding statements, FAQs) for quick deployment.
• Creating clear, platform-specific **Response Trees and Decision-Making Flowcharts**.
• Training the social media team on rapid assessment and immediate internal notification protocols.
• Establishing the process for pausing scheduled content during a developing crisis.

Unit 3: Real-Time Response and Containment

Tactics and Speed
• Mastering the **30-Minute Response Rule** and the role of the first piece of communication.
• Strategies for selecting the appropriate platform for the primary crisis communication (e.g., Twitter thread, Facebook post).
• Techniques for shifting conversations from public social channels to private customer service channels.
• Executing a coordinated, multi-platform response that is consistent in message and tone.
• Strategies for utilizing paid social media to distribute official crisis statements rapidly and widely.

Unit 4: Moderation and Reputation Defense

Control and Legal Issues
• Developing and enforcing a clear policy on content deletion, user blocking, and hiding comments.
• Strategies for managing **Trolls, Coordinated Attacks, and Misinformation** campaigns.
• The legal requirement for content preservation (e.g., screenshotting) in case of potential litigation.
• Techniques for using influencers and brand advocates to help counter negative narratives.
• The ethical boundaries of engaging with, ignoring, or confronting online attackers.

Unit 5: Post-Crisis Recovery and Review

Learning and Trust
• Developing a phased social media content plan for the transition back to normal operations.
• Strategies for demonstrating genuine accountability and corrective action on social media.
• Utilizing sentiment analysis to track the pace of reputation recovery and trust rebuilding.
• Conducting a detailed **Post-Crisis Social Audit** to analyze what worked and what failed.
• Integrating lessons learned into the overall Crisis Communication Plan and social media policies.