Social media is a critical communication tool during times of crisis, enabling Rice University to share real-time updates, manage reputational risks, and maintain trust with key audiences. This guide is designed to support social media account managers across campus in navigating high-stakes or emergency situations with clarity, consistency, and coordination.
It outlines key principles and best practices for using social media to respond to emergencies, reputational threats, or other critical incidents. Emphasizing partnership with the Office of Public Affairs, this guidance prioritizes community safety, information accuracy, and the protection of institutional integrity to ensure all official accounts contribute to a unified and effective digital response.
Preparedness and Risk Mitigation for Social Media Managers
As a frontline communicator, you may be among the first to detect early warning signs, engage with concerned audiences, or amplify official updates. The following guidance outlines key responsibilities and actions to help you stay prepared, informed, and responsive.
Risk Assessment
- Know what qualifies as a crisis. Crises may include natural disasters, campus safety threats, reputational controversies, public health issues, or viral misinformation affecting the university.
- Familiarize yourself with the Issues and Preparedness Heatmap. This internal resource will help you identify high-risk topics and determine when to escalate issues to the Office of Public Affairs.
- Establish early warning systems. Set up keyword alerts, social listening dashboards, and regular check-ins with colleagues to monitor potential concerns.
- Create a platform-specific readiness checklist. Know how to pause scheduled content, activate pinned posts, and secure accounts quickly if needed.
Incident Management Team (IMT)
- The university’s Incident Management Team is responsible for leading all official communications during a crisis (severe weather, active shooter, school closure, etc.)
- As a social media account manager, your role is to support the IMT by sharing approved messages, monitoring audience response, and flagging emerging risks.
- Do not create or post original crisis messaging without guidance from the IMT or Office of Public Affairs.
Clear Communication Protocols
- In the event of a crisis, you will receive direction from the Office of Public Affairs during active incidents; timing, tone, and message accuracy are critical.
- Use approved language only. Always rely on official statements and pre-approved messaging templates.
- Avoid speculation. If you receive questions or see misinformation, flag it and wait for official guidance before responding.
- Maintain documentation. Keep internal records of messaging timelines, audience responses, and issues escalated for review.
Prioritizing Safety and Well-Being
- In any crisis, the safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors takes precedence over social media metrics or engagement.
- Refrain from publishing unrelated or promotional content until the situation is resolved or guidance is received.
- Support institutional messaging that promotes emergency response resources, wellness services, and campus-wide alerts.
- Be mindful of your own well-being and mental health—high-pressure digital environments can be overwhelming during crises.
Recovery and Reflection
- After a crisis, review your account’s performance, tone, and responsiveness with your team and the Office of Public Affairs.
- Support reputational recovery by re-establishing normal posting rhythms and elevating positive campus stories.
- Monitor sentiment and be prepared to continue answering questions or correcting lingering misinformation.
- Participate in debriefs to evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and how your account can improve preparedness moving forward.
- Document lessons learned and update any team protocols or platform-specific checklists as needed.
Social Media Crisis Checklist
Before a Crisis
- Review existing university policies and best practices and establish unit response protocols
- Familiarize yourself with the Issues and Preparedness Heatmap
- Identify your unit’s point of contact within the Office of Public Affairs
- Follow official university channels
- Ensure two-factor authentication is enabled and account credentials securely stored
- Know how to pause scheduled content across platforms
- Create or update a crisis response folder (pre-approved messaging, graphics, contact lists)
- Set up social listening tools, keyword alerts, and sentiment tracking for early warning signs
During a Crisis
- Pause all non-critical content
- Wait for or request official messaging
- Amplify approved content from central university accounts
- Monitor audience response and flag misinformation, hostility, or sensitive inquiries
- Avoid posting original crisis content or speculating on causes, impacts, or outcomes
- Maintain a crisis log (timestamp of posts, audience reactions, flagged issues)
- Coordinate with your leadership and escalate concerns promptly
- Prioritize community safety messaging (resources, wellness support, emergency updates)
After a Crisis
- Resume regular content only with clearance from the Office of Public Affairs
- Share supportive, human-centered content that aligns with institutional recovery
- Correct lingering misinformation or confusion with factual, empathetic updates
- Join any post-crisis debrief meetings or provide feedback
- Update internal protocols and asset folders based on lessons learned
- Support positive sentiment by highlighting campus resilience, impact, or action taken
Compliance and Oversight
Failure to follow established crisis management protocols may result in operational disruption and reputational damage. Oversight of institutional crisis planning and response rests with Rice University’s administration, Emergency Management Team, and the Office of Public Affairs.
For further guidance, refer to the university’s full Crisis Management Policy or contact the Office of Public Affairs.