Dealing with unhappy social media...

Social media has fundamentally changed the engagement organisations have with customers, partners, enemies and in some cases, the media.

While the move towards open conversation, greater transparency and corporate organisations with a genuine voices should be welcomed, there is still concern about how to react when the social media audience turns against you.

Here are a few quick tips: (remember at this early stage in the development of social media we are all learning...)

1. There are no rules, be ready but not paranoid.
2. Be involved, have a presence. Don't find out you have a social media problem before you have a presence.
3. Have a plan in place. Speak to some professionals conversant in PR and Digital communication.
4. Know when to respond. Better to take 24hrs to respond with your facts presented correctly than respond quickly and be under prepared.
5. Be transparent and honest - this goes without saying.
6. Never over react or be personal when dealing with a social media audience, if you do it WILL end badly.