Whenever a social media platform suffers from an outage just like Facebook on March 13, 2019, users lose access to the platform and affect other channels as well. Some users were unable to view their accounts for several hours. The repercussion of the outage was felt by those who conduct business online. Digital marketers had to make adjustments especially when using scheduling tools and automated campaigns. It was due to this situation that digital marketers started with preventive steps and recovery plans for social media marketing.
First steps to do
Confirmation from the platform should be made that there is a widespread outage. All possible ways to re-boot from the user end should be made like restarting the browser or the app. When it is a platform outage, there is usually a tentative schedule when the system is expected to be restarted. Make sure that the problem is not a local one as a start.
Check maintenance or progress reports from platform
When the outage source is identified, check the platform website. Down Doctor is one online tool that can be accessed to confirm the outage, Another option is to view other platforms that may announce the issue or progress, During the Facebook crisis, Twitter became a source of information,
Notify the audience
Be sure to make an announcement or update about the outage on other social media accounts. It is also a good idea to publish a post on the website. If the business has an email list, then generate a blast stating the issue and when it is expected to be back online. Assure the audience that their data is safe and that the IT department is monitoring the updates.
Getting back online
The digital marketer’s main task is to keep up with the promotion of the brand. After a social media issue, the audience must be notified that the platform is back online. Any repercussion must be acknowledged and a remedy announced.
A Welcome Back post and a brief summary should be made. Let the audience know that the team is on hand to address any issue that resulted from the outage.
Preventive measures
As in anything in this world, social media can be erratic and the next outage may be a surprise. It is better to always have a plan for any eventuality.
- Diversification of channels.
Digital marketers do not count on one social media channel alone. A diversification of platforms should be made. If one channel fails, another one can be used.
- Cross referencing of accounts
Cross reference social media accounts when there is an opportunity. An example is the About Us section of a website can be placed in Instagram or Pinterest. It can be shared in a Twitter post as well.
- Prepare an email list as a backup
Build an email list as a backup for your audience. Emails can come in handy.
If ever Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram will have an outage, a good populated email list will allow contact with the audience.
In conclusion
A swift action is needed in the even there would be a social media outage. It can be devastating especially when marketing efforts are highly dependent on the platform.
The first response to the outage is the confirmation whether it is a local issue or one involving global disruption. Every shareholder must be informed and made aware of the issue and remedies.
