PR officials should utilize Twitter, social media during crises to gauge public response
Thursday, July 28, 2016 - 11:31
in Psychology & Sociology
Previous research on crisis communications strategies has examined how and why organizations develop specific stances toward their audiences or "publics" during crisis situations. However, little is known about how various audiences themselves develop attitudes toward organizations during such crises. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Journalism have found that unorganized and semi-organized groups use Twitter to communicate and develop stances toward organizations who are experiencing crises. These findings can provide public relations practitioners with ways to diagnose a variety of publics' stances toward specific issues, allowing them to craft messages aimed at specific audiences.