How to Handle Crisis Communication Today

Recently, I’ve been eager to write. The challenge was finding the right topic.

I kept wondering, What do I really want to write about? Then it hit me! For the last two years, I have been dealing with digital media crises constantly. So why not write about something I know so well?

As I began to write, I thought about how to approach this topic. I decided to look at it from the angles of sociology and communication.

From these viewpoints, crisis is just part of life. Lulofs and Cahn (2002) and Peil (1977), as referenced in Popoola (2015), along with the Weberian theory of power, show that crises are unavoidable for everyone, whether individuals or organisations.

In simple terms, crisis is part of life. Nobody is fully safe from it. Instead of being shocked when a crisis happens, the smarter way is to prepare in advance so you can manage it well when it comes.

And if you still think technology hasn’t changed much, let me tell you: it has changed a lot.

This change has reshaped how organisations communicate and deal with crises. Companies now have to think ahead and be ready to respond in a tech-driven world where news spreads faster than before.

Imagine you are sitting in your house or office, trying to focus on your work. Then suddenly, someone makes a post on X about your company. Before you can blink, that post is trending and shaping how people view your organisation.

Now you are stuck between thinking about your own life and managing a post that is blowing up.

Omo, na long day for you.

That’s the reality of crisis communication today.

In a Digital Crisis, Speed Matters, But Accuracy Matters More

The gap between a company’s reputation and its downfall can be very small. An allegation, complaint, or misleading post can get attention before the organisation even knows what’s going on.

For PR professionals, crisis management becomes a race against time. But please, don’t let speed make you careless.

Speed must go hand in hand with accuracy, judgement, and credibility. Responding fast can help, but rushing without knowing the facts can cost you.

The goal is not just to respond quickly. The real goal is to respond as soon as the verified facts allow you to.

Because imagine managing one crisis only to have your quick response land you in another.

Better gobe.

Feeling pressured to respond quickly doesn’t mean an organisation must rush to fill every gap in information. Yes, staying silent during a crisis can lead to speculation. But an incorrect statement can make that speculation last even longer.

As a PR professional, your job isn’t just to jump into the conversation because everyone is shouting, “Say something! Say something!” Whatever you say must be informed, credible, and able to stand up to public scrutiny.

Should I say it again?

Issokay.

Just remember that sometimes saying, “We are aware of the situation and are currently checking the facts,” can save you from writing a long explanation today and another one tomorrow to clarify your first statement.

Everybody Has a Voice Now

The digital space has changed how crisis communication works.

There was a time when information flowed in a straight line: an organisation shared info with journalists, journalists reported it, and the public consumed it.

Those days are over.

Now, everyone can join in sharing information. Customers can post their experiences directly. Employees can share internal issues. Eyewitnesses can give their accounts. Influencers can amplify issues to audiences far beyond the organisation’s reach.

Even someone who wasn’t at the scene can quote another person’s post and confidently say, “I knew it!”

Knew what exactly?

But that’s the world we live in.

A crisis can develop in many conversations at once, with new claims, opinions, and screenshots popping up faster than an organisation can react.

This brings me to one of my favourite parts of modern PR: social listening and continuous monitoring.

For someone like me, monitoring is a joy because sometimes you can see a crisis trying to wake up before it even fully opens its eyes.

PR teams need to spot emerging concerns, tell apart genuine complaints from misinformation, and see when what looks like an isolated issue starts to gain public attention.

Waiting until a matter trends before you start running around may leave you responding to a story others have already defined for you.

Don’t let that happen.

Monitor, listen, and observe. Sometimes the best crisis you manage is the one the public never even knew was trying to happen.

Let’s Bring Erisco Foods Into Our Gist

You know I can’t just talk without giving you an example that makes sense of what I’m saying.

So, let’s discuss the Erisco Foods issue.

In 2023, consumer Chioma Okoli posted a complaint on Facebook about the taste of the company’s Nagiko Tomato Mix. What started as a consumer complaint blew up after Erisco Foods responded, and legal action followed.

Okoli’s arrest drew even more public attention. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about the taste of a tomato product anymore. It turned into a discussion about consumer rights, corporate behaviour, and how companies should respond when customers voice their dissatisfaction.

That case shows every organisation needs to understand: your response to a crisis can add new dimensions that weren’t part of the original issue.

So please, pay attention.

Not every unhappy customer is against your brand. Sometimes someone just doesn’t like your product.

And they have every right to say so.

For PR professionals like me, dealing with online criticism requires judgement, not just defensiveness. Before responding, ask the key questions. What is the person complaining about? Is the complaint true or false? Is there an issue behind it? Is there proof available?

If the criticism is baseless, correct it with evidence. If it’s valid, acknowledge it and explain how you plan to address it.

Don’t turn a situation that could have been quietly resolved into a national uproar just because you wanted to show strength.

Acknowledgement Is Not Admission

This is a crucial point.

An organisation can acknowledge stakeholders’ concerns without admitting to unproven allegations. Saying, “We are aware of the concerns raised and are looking into it,” doesn’t mean you are guilty.

You have simply told people, “We hear you.”

There’s a big difference between acknowledgement and admission, and knowing that difference can save an organisation from unnecessary issues.

In a fast-moving digital world, this kind of communication can help stop speculation from becoming accepted as truth while an investigation is still going on.

Screenshot Is Waiting for You

Crisis communication today must also consider the lasting nature of digital content.

You made a statement in a hurry? No big deal. You deleted it? Great. But someone already took a screenshot. Now what?

That deleted statement can be screenshotted, reposted, quoted, and reported by news outlets long after the original has vanished. The painful part is that your follow-up correction may not reach half the audience that saw the original error.

This is why accuracy is not just about getting your first statement right. It’s also about being consistent as new information comes in.

If new facts come up and you change your position, explain why. Don’t act like no one saw what you said yesterday. People online have data and time. Don’t test them unnecessarily.

Please, Have a Crisis Structure Before Crisis Arrives

Organisations need to have a clear crisis communication plan ready before anything happens.

Who checks conversations about the organisation? Who verifies information? Who makes decisions during a crisis? Who approves public statements? Who speaks for the organisation? Who communicates with journalists? Who controls access to the social media accounts? Who talks directly to affected stakeholders?

These roles should already be clear.

Don’t wait until things heat up before someone starts asking for the Instagram password.

The organisation’s spokesperson should also know how to communicate uncertainty without seeming evasive. The communication team must have access to the operational information needed to respond accurately.

During a major crisis, legal, technical, management, and PR teams may need to collaborate closely. Teamwork is key, but everyone should remember their roles while still aiming for the same goal. And let me quickly tell my fellow PR folks something.

During a crisis, everyone suddenly has suggestions.

Management has ideas. The legal team has ideas. Your client has ideas. Sometimes, your client’s friend has ideas too. Someone will say, “Post this immediately.”

Another person will say, “Attack them.” Someone else will insist, “Don’t say anything.”

Omo, this PR no easy, but na him sweet pass. Listen to everyone because teamwork is important. But as the expert in the room, no gree for anybody o.

And I don’t mean you should be arrogant or dismissive of others’ ideas. I mean you must not let pressure push you into backing something that could harm the reputation you were hired to protect.

If everyone says ‘jump’ and your professional judgement tells you that jumping will lead to an even bigger crisis, please stay grounded.

Because when things fall apart tomorrow, no one will remember who told you to jump.

They will simply ask: “Who is handling their PR?”

PR Is Not Magic

The public expects more than pretty statements when a crisis hits. They want action.

If your product isn’t safe, please withdraw it. Don’t let money make you hurt people by keeping a dangerous product on the shelves. The money you’re trying to protect today may become the same money you’ll spend fixing a much bigger crisis tomorrow.

If customers are affected, let them know what help is available. If someone in the organisation has done wrong, address it. Don’t shield bad behaviour just because the person is a top employee, a senior executive, or a relative.

Wrong is wrong.

If an investigation is ongoing, communicate responsibly about how it’s progressing and its eventual outcome. And I need to make this very clear:

PR is not magic.

We can manage how people see things. We can protect our reputation. We can communicate strategically. We can help an organisation tell its story clearly and responsibly.

But if something is fundamentally wrong and you want me to use words to make it seem right?

Wo, I don’t know how to speak that English o. Fix the problem first, then call me to do my job.

Ultimately, the credibility of your crisis response will be tested by the link between what you said and what you actually did. Communication cannot fix an organisation that refuses to address the real problem.

The Trend Has Ended. Has the Crisis Ended? Not necessarily. This is another area where organisations often let their guard down too soon.

Nobody is talking about you anymore. Your company’s name is off the trending list. Blogs have moved on to another topic. Everyone seems happy again.

That doesn’t automatically mean the crisis is over. Online discussions can resurface months or even years later, especially when something new gives people a reason to revisit the original issue. Crisis recovery isn’t just about surviving the noisy period.

What happens next is just as important.

How is the organisation rebuilding trust? What corrective actions were taken? What lessons were learned? What still shows up when someone searches the organisation’s name online? How are affected stakeholders being engaged?

The end of media attention doesn’t mean the end of reputational damage.

A good crisis management strategy goes beyond handling the immediate situation. It must also think about recovery, accountability, rebuilding trust, and the organisation’s long-term online presence.

Finally, You Cannot Control Everybody

For today’s PR professionals, crisis communication is less about controlling information and more about building trust in a space where no one has full control.

You can’t control every conversation about your organisation. You can’t delete every criticism. You can’t stop everyone from having an opinion, and you definitely can’t fight everyone on social media.

You will tire.

What you can do is ensure your communication is timely, factual, empathetic, and consistent with your actions.

The best crisis response isn’t always the one that comes out first. It’s the one that gives stakeholders a credible explanation of what happened, shows that the organisation gets the consequences, and clearly outlines what happens next.

So yes, in this digital age, crisis communication is a race against time. But it’s not a race to be the first to speak.

It’s a race to establish credible information before someone else defines the crisis for you.

And if you remember nothing else from this long gist, keep this in mind: prepare before the crisis comes. Monitor before it trends. Verify before you speak. Fix what’s wrong before you start talking. And when everyone suddenly becomes a PR expert during your crisis, listen to them, but as the professional in the room, use your training, experience, and judgement.

After all, when everything settles, they will still ask:

Who handled the PR?