I. J. of Business & Management Research
Research Article | 
Social Media for Crisis Communication Management
Author(s) : Thouraya Snoussi
Publisher : FOREX Publication
Published : 25 Sep 2020
e-ISSN : 2347-4696
Page(s) : 64-72
Abstract
This paper analyzes trends related to the role of social media in crisis communication. The author posed a question about the attitudes of online media actors (communication, public relations and marketing experts) towards using social media as a strategic communication tool in times of crisis; Emphasis on two different crises: the 2016 Turkish political crisis and the global health pandemic (COVID-19) in 2020. Communications actors' perceptions and behaviors of social media in times of crisis were tracked through a mixed method (a content analysis of 40 online publications about the military coup attempt in Turkey, and 20 semi structured in-depth interviews about the usage of social media during the quarantine period). The results showed that social media is a lifeboat that is provided to organizations in times of crisis, as communication with customers becomes a vital factor in managing critical situations. Meanwhile, some participants expressed reservations about confidence in the use of social media in times of crisis, stressing that these networks are a double-edged sword. As the keyword for crisis management, a strategic communication plan should take place via social media to discuss customer inquiries with clients, answer their questions, and try to reduce their anxiety, according to the interviewee.
Keywords: Social Media , Crisis communication , Management , Perceptions , Covid-19 , Strategic communication plan.
Thouraya Snoussi, Associate Professor, College of Communication, University of Sharjah, UAE , Email: tsnoussi@sharjah.ac.ae
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Thouraya Snoussi (2020), Social Media for Crisis Communication Management. IJBMR 8(3), 64-72. DOI: 10.37391/IJBMR.080302.