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By Rachel Rahe
The social media explosion has brought unimagined benefits to communications. For hospitals and other large organizations, it also means potential for
unexpected, often unjustified harm.
Remember the recent post-election uprising in Iran? Without Twitter, the world would not have known what happened. And who can forget the United Airlines guitar-smashing episode, or the ghastly video created by two Domino’s employees, both viewed millions of times online?
All were serious blows to powerful institutions, for better and worse. If you missed these clips, don’t worry. Like everything online, they never truly go away – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Author Joshua Cooper Ramo describes it as “The Age of the Unthinkable,” a new, fragile, interrelated reality that affects everyone, every business, everything.
In this new age of instant (and archived) communication, when literally anyone can command a platform that equals or exceeds the reach of a TV network, it calls for a new approach to protecting your brand as it reaches the masses.
Not If, But When
What can tip the dominos against your hospital? A frustrated patient? A disgruntled employee? Bad news –
or the perception thereof – no longer requires mass media to reach millions. The good news? We aren’t defenseless against this new reality. Take these steps before it meets your hospital:
1) Audit your social media footprint. Search for your hospital’s name on major networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, and see what comes up. Do employees identify themselves as part of your organization on Facebook? Do their pages contain material that would reflect badly on your organization?
2) Make it official. Do you have an official policy for employee blogs and participation in social media networks? Educating your employees and providing guidelines for how they represent your organization could prevent the majority of negative social media incidents.
3) Have a plan. If a significant threat to your hospital were posted on YouTube or Facebook, would you know whom to contact? Like with any media situation, it’s important to have a plan so you can react quickly to emerging negative comments.
4) Listen carefully. Stay engaged and continue listening so you know when problems arise and can respond before they explode. Online tools can reveal what social networks are saying about you; an agency can assist in monitoring.
Feeling a bit unsettled? Good. Social media is a great way to introduce your brand to new, welcoming audiences and keep loyal consumers connected to it. The bigger your audience, however, the greater the potential for harm. Unthinkable? Think again.
To schedule a free 40-minute webinar for your hospital, contact Rachel at rrahe@pdog.com.
