Digital crisis management: 5 steps to protect your brand in times of risk

Have you ever seen a post go viral and become a national affair almost overnight? That's what happened with the brand WePink, linked to influencer Virgínia Fonseca. A digital service error and the delay in responding to consumers generated a wave of dissatisfaction in the networks, which went out of control and gained national repercussions.

The episode became an example of crisis management poorly conducted, when lack of preparation and response transforms a one-off failure into a reputational problem.

Therefore, every company that wants to remain relevant and reliable needs to be prepared to act strategically when the unexpected happens. Our team presents 5 fundamental steps next to protect your brand in times of crisis!

What is digital crisis management?

Digital crisis management is one damage containment strategy aimed at preserving the image, trust and credibility of a brand on social networks, on news portals, forums or other digital platforms.

Several factors can trigger a digital crisis: a communication error, a misinterpreted comment, a product failure, a data leak, a poorly conducted service, or even Fake profiles of the brand.

The containment strategy needs to be done before, during, and after an incident:

1. Before (preparation phase), to anticipate risks, set up protocols, train teams, and install monitoring systems;
2. During, to quickly identify the problem, trigger response actions, communicate with affected audiences, and contain damage;
3. Then (in the recovery phase), to assess what worked, adjust processes, repair reputations, learn from mistakes, and strengthen organizational resilience.

Without these steps, the reaction will be slow or disjointed.

What are the steps to protect your brand in times of risk?

Our team put together 5 steps to transform crisis situations into opportunities to strengthen digital reputation:

1. Implement continuous monitoring (social listening)

Use tools from digital listening/social listening to track mentions of the brand, products, competitors, industry-related terms, and critical keywords.

The process depends on monitoring:

• Brand name variations, including typos;
• Hashtags linked to campaigns or products;
• Common negative terms (e.g., “complaint”, “defect”, “delay”);
• Emerging words or rumors within the sector

Alerts help detect sudden changes in the volume of mentions or sentiment patterns.

2. Monitor sentiment and analyze abrupt variations

The first sign of a crisis usually appears between the lines: in Change of tone of conversations about the brand. Comments that were previously neutral or laudatory begin to bring irony, dissatisfaction, or distrust.

This emotional slip is what we call Variation of sentiment, and when it occurs abruptly, it represents one of the clearest signs that something is about to get out of control.

Sentiment analysis (positive, neutral, or negative) makes it possible to notice this deviation in advance. Here's how to conduct this analysis in three steps:

1. Start by gathering mentions of the brand or products on social networks, blogs, forums, and news. Use keywords that combine the brand name with sensitive terms, such as “problem,” “complaint,” “delay,” “scam,” or “lie.” There are tools that allow you to configure alerts to capture these variations;
2. Apply sentiment filters or read the most relevant mentions manually. The objective is to categorize each mention as positive, neutral, or negative, observing specific tones such as sarcasm, indignation, or disappointment, which algorithms often do not yet accurately interpret;
3. Finally, compare the percentage of negative mentions with those from previous weeks. An abrupt drop in positive sentiment or the rapid growth of negative feedback indicates a pattern break.

The third stage is the time to investigate causes (such as a poorly received post or a service error) and act before negative sentiment becomes the dominant discourse.

3. Observe unexpected spikes in the volume of mentions

When the number of brand mentions suddenly rises, it can signal that something is “going viral” or gaining traction. These peaks deserve immediate investigation: where did they come from? Who is speaking? What platforms? What is the content of these mentions?

Not every peak is negative, but it is worth checking if part of it is critical or unsatisfactory.

4. Identify external influence or engagement of influential users

What really makes a digital crisis gain strength? Most of the time, it's not the problem itself, but who talks about it.

An isolated criticism may disappear in minutes, but when an influencer, journalist, or profile with a wide reach decides to amplify that criticism, the conversation changes dimension.

For this reason, Monitor who says something about the brand it's just as important as analyzing what's being said. The tracing of influential voices must be part of a permanent digital surveillance plan, and not just of emergency action when the crisis has already broken out.

5. Detect recurring complaint patterns

Every crisis has a “repetition pattern” before it breaks out. These are comments that are repeated, customers that mention the same problem, and minor flaws that arise in different regions or products.

Preventive digital crisis management requires looking at the whole: understanding whether there is a repetition of themes or a gradual increase surrounding the same type of problem.

If in one week there are 10 comments about flaws in the app and, the following week, that number rises to 30, there is a growing pattern of dissatisfaction.

Growth may indicate technical failure, confused communication, or an unmet expectation. Grouping mentions by category (service, product, price, policy, and experience) helps identify where the problem is concentrated.

Predictive analytics is used by companies such as Coca-Cola, which maintains teams specialized in detecting early alerts based on subtle repetitions in public conversations.

What should a response protocol look like?

The way in which the company reacts defines whether it will be able to contain the damage or whether the situation will turn into a public case of wear and tear.

To avoid the chaos of improvisation, there is the protocol for responding to the digital crisis, a document that establishes a flow of action for these cases: who monitors, who approves, who communicates, and what must be said at each stage of the crisis.

What should be included in a response protocol:

Activate the crisis committee immediately

Bring together the pre-defined team (members from sectors such as communication, legal, technology, leadership). The group's first attitude is to assess the size of the problem, delimit responsibilities, and define the degree of urgency.

Assess the type and extent of the crisis

What is the nature of the crisis (leaks, product failure, public accusation, or rumor)? What is your reach (local, national, or international)? Which stakeholders are involved (clients, press, or authorities)? This assessment serves as the basis for calibrating the response.

Define central positions and messages

With the diagnosis in hand, elaborate authorized key messages, tone guides, official speeches, and approaches for each audience (clients, press, and collaborators). Messages must be transparent and aligned with brand values.

Evaluate post-crisis and improve the protocol

After the most acute moment has passed, conduct a debrief with the team: record successes and failures, real impacts, and lessons learned. Update the protocol with these corrections to strengthen preparation for future crises.

Did you like the tips? Digital crises are inevitable: no brand, no matter how solid, is immune to errors, criticisms, or unforeseen events. But what really defines the impact of these episodes is the way in which the company reacts.

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