It is imperative that issue management be a part of any comprehensive social media strategy.

Consistent monitoring is key in today’s non-stop news cycles, yet perhaps no other medium requires the level of time-sensitive responses that social media demands. A company’s digital presence is much more than a promotional tool. By its very nature, social media invites public participation and discourse—inaccurate information left unchecked or negative comments unaddressed damage a brand quickly.

Ensure regular review of your channels, and ramp up vigilance during sensitive periods. Enlist the help of digital communications professionals to be an extension of your team for consistent and strategic monitoring. Social media activity doesn’t rest at the end of a business day, and Hawaii companies must be mindful that engaged audiences may also come from multiple time zones.

Your digital experts should work hand in hand with their traditional public relations counterparts to ensure messaging is aligned, and to map out different scenarios and suggested responses. Identify appropriate spokespeople, along with protocols for elevating the kinds of representatives that would respond on behalf of the brand should needs escalate.

Continue to cultivate your circle of influencers too. Proactively developing advocates for your brand is not just good for promotion, but can be extremely helpful when issues arise.