Emergency Twitter Tips

Written by Jonathan & Erik Bernstein | Edited by Rory Hart
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    Twitter-icons-with-a-phone-logged-in-on-twitte

    Make the most of Twitter in a crisis situation

    We’re constantly looking at ways that companies use Twitter for crisis management, but beneath those complex strategies there are some basics that everyone entering the social media arena should know.

    Luckily we have power users like Lynn Miller, who shared her “Essential Twitter Tips for Crisis Communications” in a 4GreenPS blog post.

    A quote:

    Know Your 40404: Learn (or Re-Learn) How to Tweet via Text

    When emergencies hit, cell phone and landline networks are often overloaded. WiFi and mobile web can be hard to access, just like voice services. Text messages over Twitter are more reliable. But most people now access Twitter solely via its many web-based interfaces. If you had to send a text Tweet…NOW, could you?

    Here’s how to text tweet from the U.S.:

    1. Send a text message with START to 40404.
    2. Twitter will respond with your username.
    3. Send your username in response.
    4. When asked for your password, respond, being mindful of CaSe SensiTiVIty.
    5. When asked to send OK, do so.
    6. To receive tweets, turn on mobile updates for those tweets you wish to see.

    If you didn’t know this, you’d better head on over to Lynn’s article.

    Twitter is valuable because of its extreme flexibility and reach. Without the proper knowledge, you’re wasting potential, and possibly putting your organization and employees at risk.

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    For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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    [Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

    Jonathan & Erik Bernstein