I wrote this post in April 2021, shortly after the Duke of Edinburgh died, but I never posted it. Now seems like a time when some of you might need some information on how an organisation or brand should react…
Recent events have resulted in some confusion over what brands should do when someone very important passes away. Obviously, our opinions on who is important vary, but in this instance, we are talking about a head of state – In the UK, that means The Queen.
So, what should you do?
Should you react and acknowledge?
Should you continue to send out scheduled posts?
Should you pause paid ads?
Should you say nothing at all?
While it is important for bands to show their humanity - those that show that their company is run by real humans, with real feelings and opinions (and lives) always do better than those that come across as robotic and unfeeling - in some situations it may be better to remain respectfully silent. Pause your content (paid and organic) and leave a respectful period of silence or post a simple message of condolence.
There will be a period of mourning that will last 12 days prior to the funeral, during this time we would recommend only sharing important updates/information your customers may need.
Social media is about getting your message out to your customers and target audience, by definition, it is a tool used to get attention and shout about your offering to the world. So even when you’re trying to respectfully acknowledge and pay your respects, some may see this as attention seeking, or worse you could be seen to be piggybacking in order to gain attention.
If your industry is directly affected by such events, it may be important to respectfully acknowledge and pay your respects/update your audience with important information. Again, we would recommend doing this in as subtle a way as social media allows.
If you feel strongly about posting, our advice would be to try to be as tasteful as possible. It might be best to repost an official announcement or image. Do not jump on trending hashtags.
Whatever you feel is best for your business in terms of posting/advertising…
Do not try to make money off the back of this kind of event. EVER. The social media arena will undoubtedly be quieter when something like this happens, but this does not mean it is a good time for yours to be the only voice selling your products/services. It is likely that this will reflect VERY badly on your brand.