How Businesses Can Survive a Product Recall Using Social Media

Patrick Kerley is the senior digital strategist at Levick Strategic Communications. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog™ and can be found on Twitter @pjkerley.

Driven in equal parts by regulation, litigation, and new levels of public awareness, today’s companies are working harder than ever to ensure that they are prepared to manage the many communication dimensions of a product recall.

With the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) now on the books, companies are not only liable for the problems that led to a recall but for the effectiveness of the recall itself. Under the law, strict penalties can be imposed if regulators sense that a company has fallen short of its responsibility to notify consumers and ensure that dangerous products are retrieved in a timely fashion. Should the government find fault with a recall, it’s a safe bet that the plaintiffs’ bar — armed with regulators’ findings — won’t be far behind. Add the brand damage that can be incurred when consumer anxiety has been stoked by numerous high-profile recalls of toys, baby formula, pet food, and a host of other products, and the need for advancement in recall communications is readily apparent.

It comes as little surprise that companies are increasingly turning to social media to limit legal risk and maintain consumer loyalty when a product liability crisis arises. From Toyota to Similac, crisis teams are learning from the online successes enjoyed by their counterparts in the marketing and brand management departments and leveraging that knowledge into recall solutions that communicate concern for, commitment to, and action on behalf their consumers.

Of course, there is more to integrating social media into recall communications than a Facebook update and a well-timed tweet. The following five tips will help ensure that companies maximize the potential of social media to protect consumers and their brands in the midst of any product recall situation.

1. Anticipate Your Likely Recall Scenarios

Before a recall ever materializes, the team responsible for managing it must sit down to develop a plan. What are the company’s most likely recall scenarios and what keywords will consumers use to search for information? Which social media content channels will be utilized for outreach and who will be monitoring those channels? How will messages and responses be approved prior to posting? The quickness with which information must be shared demands that these questions be answered well in advance of a recall. Companies should also prepare templates for web content that can go live on the corporate website, blog, and social media profiles the moment they are needed.

2. Preempt Consumer Questions

Today’s consumers are as informed as ever and will likely hear about a recall the moment it is announced. Further, as with so many industries, a push to put data and tools on mobile devices means consumers will have access to information anywhere.

For example, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have released a new mobile app that enables consumers to access up-to-the-minute information on product recalls directly from the retail store aisles.

The same savvy consumers who take advantage of mobile technology will likely be the most outspoken and the most apt to connect online. They will turn to the company’s website or social media profiles to find out the specifics of the recall and to provide commentary of their own. Before this crucial early adopter/early responder audience begins researching and posting about a recall, it is important that information about the recall be readily available. Without your information, consumers will be left to make their own determinations — which could have dangerous consequences on both their safety and the trust they put in your company.

3. Control Sources of Consumer Information

Anyone can post and disseminate information — or misinformation — about a recall. It is important that Facebook updates, tweets, and other recall-related social media activity serve as a portals to facts and good information sources. This means using social media to link back to the corporate website or another venue where the company has total control over the messaging.

Once the online conversation surrounding a recall gets going, users will likely be posting their own remedies to corporate social media profiles. While their intentions might be good, their tips might not comport with company policy or instructions from federal regulators. Thus, it is essential to ensure that users understand that solutions officially prescribed by the company can only be found on an official corporate website.

4. Contribute to the Conversation

Never assume that a single Facebook post or tweet telling consumers where to go for information is enough.

Content gets buried quickly on social media. Make sure that you repost and update often enough to keep your messages up top and easily within view of the people who need to access them.

5. Follow-Up

Even after the majority of recalled product has been accounted for and the surrounding anxiety has seemingly died down, continue to monitor social media for signs that consumers are experiencing problems. While recall news spreads quickly in today’s media-driven marketplace, there will be those who haven’t yet taken all the necessary steps to protect themselves or return affected products. By remaining vigilant, companies further ensure that every consumer who needs assistance gets it. It will say a great deal about that company’s commitment to consumer safety.

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