I've been here more times than I'd like to admit, back when I worked in the beauty industry. I think the most important thing to do is escalate fires or potential fires in your community as soon as you see them. Don't make it a "social media team" issue -- immediately get support from key stakeholders to help mitigate the situation as to how the brand wants to navigate the incident. Get PR involved. Get the VP of Marketing, President, or CEO to give direction on how they want their brand to show up. Don't take these things on as a solo social manager. Know what's above your paygrade and honor that = my best advice.

here's how I handle stakeholders expectations during a viral social media incident;- -inform stakeholders about the situation as soon as it happens. -being honest and upfront, explain to them what caused the incident and what steps are being taken to resolve it. -by keeping the stakeholders in the loop with regular progress reports so they don't feel uniformed. -outline the steps you're taking to address the issue and restore normalcy. -by setting expectation about how long the resolution might take and what outcomes are possible.

A fundamental approach to manage a viral social media incident: Assess: Gather facts. Communicate: Issue a clear statement. Engage: Contact key stakeholders directly. Coordinate: Form a response team. Update: Keep everyone informed. Empathize: Acknowledge harm and take responsibility. Plan: Share solutions for improvement. Monitor: Track reactions and adjust. Review: Learn for future incidents.

In the face of a viral social media incident, the key to managing stakeholder expectations is transparent communication and swift action. Begin by acknowledging the issue immediately, showing stakeholders that you’re proactive. Be clear about the steps you’re taking to address the situation and how it aligns with your broader goals. Regular updates are critical to maintain trust and manage anxieties. It's essential to maintain a calm and professional tone, focus on facts, and avoid defensiveness. Let stakeholders know you're committed to resolving the issue and ensuring it doesn't repeat.

What the heck is a "viral social media incident"? Are we talking about a piece of content or a campaign going viral? Or a social media/PR crisis? Because these two things are handled very differently. We had a client campaign gain 3 billion views in the first three days and then 9 billion views in the first three weeks of launch, and it was nuts! One big issue was trying to get community management at adequate levels. At some point, you have to say, "Well, we can't reply to everyone," and move on. Also, when you go "viral" you need to manage stakeholders because you're in the spotlight both positively and negatively. So, have a plan to handle both. Be the calm in the storm, and remember that this too shall pass.