The Role of Social Media in Crisis Communication; A Study of Selected Organizations in Accra.

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to determine the role of social media in crises communication. The study interrogated how some practitioners from four different organizations use social media for their crises communication efforts, how often organizations use social media during crises and the significance of social media during crisis communication. The study used the image restoration theory and the two-way symmetrical model to understand the significance of communication during crises situations. The study used qualitative methodology in its approach to determine the role of social media in crisis communication. The study found after analysis that organization view social media as a very important medium used for corporation communication and by extension, crises communication. It was also found that traditional media is still a very instrumental tools for organization despite the proliferation of digital media. The study also found that practitioners like using social media because it provides them the opportunity to control their own communication especially during crises. It was recommended that organizations continue to invest in social media since it is a very significant medium for crises communication. The study also recommends that future studies look into how organizations use analytics to identify target groups and how they employ social media strategies to engage audience.