Showing a human side on social media

Yorkshire Tea has been the latest brand to show its ‘human side’ on social media, following a backlash that could have sent many businesses into a spin.

Following a post by Rishi Sunak on Twitter, showing the Chancellor making a brew in front of a huge bag of Yorkshire Tea, the brand openly said it had had a “rough weekend” with people dragging it into the “political mudfight” despite not being aware of, or endorsing, the photo posted. People were even calling for a boycott on the brand. In reaction, the tea company tweeted: “For anyone about to vent their rage online, even to a company – remember there’s a human on the other end of it, and try to be kind.”

Their response is delicately managed and a good example of crisis management in a digital world. Yorkshire Tea reiterated the facts and, with recent tragic circumstances causing #BeKind to trend daily on Twitter, the Yorkshire Tea response sensitively supported this current campaign.

For businesses worried about negativity on social media, always ensure you have a clear process in place to follow to deal with negative comments. Social media is such a huge part of daily lives, and people will often turn to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn to air grievances or get a quick customer service response – no matter the size of the business. Always look to respond as soon as you can to a negative comment, even if it is to acknowledge the message and that you’re looking into it further – no response will likely cause frustration. If, however, the posts are sent by a troll – relentlessly and unjustifiably targeting your brand – then do not respond and look to block or report

the individual. This should only be a very last resort, however, and you should be sure their grievances aren’t genuine.

Make sure you have all the facts to hand before posting a response and, where appropriate, ask for the conversation to be taken off public forums so you or your customer service team can look to find a solution to the problem. If the comment is unjust or unfair, take your time to put together a response that addresses the issues raised without getting into a finger pointing exercise or argument.

Ultimately, though, remember that social media is social, and it is used by many brands to show the human side of a business, whilst offering value to followers and audiences.

Businesses of all sizes and in all industries looking to use social media to grow their audience should keep this in mind.