When is there an acute digital crisis?
An acute digital crisis may exist when, among other things:
- negative comments increase sharply within a short period
- individual allegations achieve wide reach
- posts, videos or reviews go viral
- media outlets or high-reach accounts pick up the topic
- employees, customers or business partners publicly take a stance
- fake accounts or coordinated attacks occur
- false information or rumours are spread
- sensitive internal information is published
- boycott calls, threats or reputational damage arise
- corporate communications lose control of the narrative
- there is uncertainty about whether and how to respond publicly
Not every negative review or critical comment is already a crisis. What matters is reach, dynamics, credibility, how readily the issue connects with wider narratives, the people involved and the potential for harm.
Typical warning signs
Indicators of an emerging or already acute escalation include, for example:
- an unusually high number of comments or messages
- a sharp rise in mentions of the company
- recurring, identically worded allegations
- emotional or aggressive communication
- new posts across several platforms
- screenshots taken out of their original context
- involvement of influencers, media or political actors
- internal uncertainty and contradictory statements
- initial enquiries from journalists
- queries from employees, customers, partners or authorities
- falling ratings or coordinated negative reviews
- fake profiles, manipulated content or disinformation
Professional initial assessment
With Navigate Rapid, clients receive a professional initial assessment, clear priorities and concrete recommendations for the next steps within 60 to 90 minutes.
Depending on the situation, the initial assessment includes:
- Immediate analysis of the incident
- Assessment of escalation potential
- Classification of the platforms and actors involved
- Assessment of public perception
- Review of communication to date
- Prioritisation of next steps
- Identification of necessary immediate measures
- Initial recommendation on how to handle comments and enquiries
- Decision support on whether a public response is required
- Telephone or video consultation
Navigate Rapid starts from €1,420 net.
This is the entry price. Further support is generally billed based on actual time spent and the experts deployed.
What happens in the first hours
The first hours of a digital crisis are often decisive. At the same time, a hasty or ill-considered response can make the situation worse.
The first measures can include:
Step 1: Secure existing content and reactions
Step 2: Separate facts, allegations and open questions
Step 3: Assess reach, dynamics and risks
Step 4: Establish internal responsibilities
Step 5: Shorten communication and approval pathways
Step 6: Develop key messages and agreed wording
Step 7: Coordinate internal contacts and external partners
Step 8: Prioritise comments, media enquiries and public reactions
Step 9: Prepare an initial statement
Step 10: Set up monitoring and documentation
The measures required depend on the specific incident. Not every crisis calls for an immediate public statement. In some cases, observation, internal preparation or targeted one-to-one communication is strategically more sensible.
Monitoring and situation picture
During an acute digital crisis, relevant developments are continuously observed and assessed.
Depending on the situation, this can cover:
- Public posts and comments
- Reach development
- Recurring narratives
- Central allegations and questions
- Accounts and multipliers involved
- Media reports
- Ratings and reviews
- Disinformation and rumours
- Fake accounts
- Reactions from key interest groups
- Changes in tone and dynamics
Monitoring forms the basis for decisions. A high number of negative posts does not automatically call for the same response as a single but credible and high-reach allegation.
Moderation and community management
Moderation means handling comments and posts according to previously defined rules. This includes, for example:
- Answering factual questions
- Bundling recurring questions
- Correcting false information
- Documenting offensive or unlawful content
- Reporting posts in line with each platform's rules
- Observing and assessing discussions
- Containing escalations between users
- Forwarding internal queries to the relevant department
Comments are not deleted indiscriminately. Every moderation decision must be assessed from a communicative, technical and, where relevant, legal perspective.
Evidence preservation and legal cooperation
Relevant content is documented in a structured way throughout the project. This can include screenshots, links, timestamps, account information, reach data and the course of public communication.
Documentation can be made available in a protected cloud folder. On request, commissioned lawyers, authorities, investigative bodies or other authorised project participants are given access.
SocialMedia-Crisis.com does not replace legal advice. For legal matters, work is carried out together with the lawyers chosen by the client or with suitable external partners.
Differentiating the services
| Service area | Task |
|---|---|
| Community management | Community management handles comments, messages and discussions on the relevant platforms. |
| Moderation | Moderation implements defined communication and conduct rules and classifies critical content by urgency. |
| Crisis communication | Crisis communication develops messages, statements and communication measures for internal and external audiences. |
| Strategic social media crisis management | Strategic social media crisis management combines situation analysis, monitoring, crisis communication, moderation, decision support, documentation and coordination of all parties involved. |
Working with the crisis team
Depending on the situation, SocialMedia-Crisis.com works particularly closely with the following parties:
- Management
- Corporate communications
- Marketing and social media
- HR department
- Customer service
- IT and IT security
- Data protection
- Legal representation
- PR agencies
- Authorities and investigative bodies
- External experts
- Insurers and crisis service providers
SocialMedia-Crisis.com can act as a central strategic coordination point for digital communication.
Confidentiality and behind-the-scenes communication
Discretion is of the utmost priority in acute crises. Information about clients, ongoing projects and specific incidents is treated as strictly confidential.
In many situations it is strategically sensible to keep external advisers in the background initially. This keeps public communication directly associated with the company or organisation.
Whether and when SocialMedia-Crisis.com's involvement is made public is agreed together with the client.
Pricing and billing
Navigate Rapid
Professional initial assessment within 60 to 90 minutes, prioritisation and concrete recommendations for action.
From €1,420 net.
Navigate Control
Active crisis management is calculated according to complexity, duration, escalation level and the number of experts deployed.
Navigate 24/7
Ongoing support and permanent availability are agreed individually as part of a corresponding crisis mandate.
General billing
The general hourly rate starts from €120 net per person.
A surcharge of 30 percent applies for work carried out between 6pm and 8am and on weekends and public holidays.
All prices are starting prices plus statutory VAT.
Frequently asked questions
What should a company do first during an acute social media crisis?
First, relevant content should be secured, facts checked, responsibilities clarified and hasty public reactions avoided. The escalation potential is then assessed and a communication strategy defined.
Should negative comments be deleted immediately?
Not as a rule. Deletion can escalate the situation or trigger further allegations. Offensive, threatening, unlawful content or content that breaches platform rules should be documented and classified accordingly.
How quickly is an initial assessment carried out?
With Navigate Rapid, the professional initial assessment takes place within 60 to 90 minutes.
Must a company respond publicly straight away?
No. Whether a public response makes sense depends on reach, dynamics, credibility and potential for harm. A prepared, well-timed response is sometimes more effective.
Does SocialMedia-Crisis.com draft statements?
Yes. SocialMedia-Crisis.com develops key messages, agreed wording, public statements, responses to media enquiries and internal communication materials. Publication takes place only after approval by the client.
Does SocialMedia-Crisis.com also carry out moderation?
The moderation strategy, response systems and escalation rules can be fully prepared and supported. The specific operational scope is agreed within each crisis mandate.
Does SocialMedia-Crisis.com work with lawyers?
Yes. For legal matters, work is coordinated with the client's own lawyers or with suitable external partners.
Is round-the-clock support possible?
Yes, if a corresponding crisis mandate has been agreed. The specific scope, availability and responsibilities are defined in advance.
What happens after the acute crisis?
After stabilisation, follow-up work, digital reputation recovery, subsequent monitoring and improvements to existing crisis processes can follow.
Who is the support suitable for?
The service is aimed at companies, organisations, municipalities, institutions, executives, well-known public figures and other clients affected by digital escalations.
Fact box
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Provider | SocialMedia-Crisis.com |
| Service | Immediate support and strategic management of acute digital crises |
| Entry price | Navigate Rapid from €1,420 net |
| Response time | Professional initial assessment within 60 to 90 minutes |
| Hourly rate | From €120 net per person |
| Surcharge | 30 percent between 6pm and 8am and on weekends and public holidays |
| 24/7 support | Available under an expressly agreed crisis mandate |
| Service area | Austria, Germany and international projects |
| Responsible | Kerstin Erber, M.A., and team |
| Offering | Situation analysis, monitoring, communication strategy, moderation strategy, crisis management and documentation |
| Website | socialmedia-crisis.com |
| As of | 19 September 2026 |