Brands need to acknowledge missteps on social media, but there’s a right and a wrong way to do it
Like people, brands make mistakes. And when they do, in order to rebuild trust with the public, it’s important that they acknowledge their errors. According to new survey data shared exclusively with Fast Company, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about doing so. Still, sometimes a company’s trajectory following a misstep depends on the scale of the controversy itself. The data comes from Sprout Social, a company that helps brands reach their business goals by harnessing the power of social media. It surveyed 2,250 consumers in the U.S., Australia, and the UK, and found that the way a company responds to a controversy is endlessly important. Brand controversies draw attention When a controversy unfolds, consumers are typically eager to know more about what happened. According to the survey’s U.S. results, when a brand missteps, 33% say they sometimes seek more information, while 27% say they often do, and 20% always do. At the same time, just 7% never investigate the controversy further. The data points to the fact that controversies can be deeply fascinating to the curious greater public. And from that lens, they may even become an opportunity for potential customers to learn more about a company. Brands should own up to their mistakes quickly—and in an authentic way Still, a brand’s response matters to potential customers. Most say that companies should be vocal about their misstep on social media, as opposed to sending out a more formal broadcasted message such as a press release: 34% say this is somewhat important while 27% say it’s extremely important. It makes sense given that social media is how people get their information these days. But it’s how they likely learned about the controversy to begin with: 48% say social media is the place they learn about a brand’s missteps most often, while 21% find out via news articles, 19% from friends and family, and 12% learn about the controversy from the brand its