How do you apply the Situational Crisis Communication Theory to social media crisis management?

1 What is SCCT?

SCCT is a framework that helps you assess the severity and responsibility of a crisis situation, and choose the best response strategy accordingly. It was developed by Timothy Coombs, a professor of communication, based on his research on crisis management and public relations. SCCT suggests that there are three main factors that influence how people perceive a crisis: the type of crisis, the history of the organization, and the prior reputation of the organization.

2 How to categorize a crisis

According to SCCT, there are three types of crisis: victim, accidental, and preventable. Victim crises are those that are caused by external factors, such as natural disasters, terrorism, or sabotage. Accidental crises are those that are caused by unintentional errors, such as technical failures, product defects, or human mistakes. Preventable crises are those that are caused by intentional or reckless actions, such as fraud, deception, or misconduct. Each type of crisis has a different level of attribution of responsibility, which affects how people judge the organization and its response.

5 How to apply SCCT to social media crisis management

To apply SCCT to social media crisis management, you need to monitor and analyze the social media environment to identify and understand the crisis situation, the stakeholders, and the sentiment. You should then categorize the crisis according to its type, and evaluate your history and reputation in relation to the crisis. After that, you should select the most appropriate response strategy based on the level of attribution of responsibility and the expectations of the public. It is important to communicate your response clearly, consistently, and promptly on social media, using the appropriate tone, language, and channels. Finally, you should evaluate and adjust your response based on the feedback and outcomes of the social media crisis.