How to Prepare for and Manage a Fake News Attack?

Social media platforms can be fantastic assets to your business. They allow you to communicate with your customers, promote products or services, and build brand awareness much easier than via more traditional channels.

However, they do come with specific threats. And nowadays, there's one thing that has all managers on pins and needles (despite coronavirus, of course). Does the term "fake news" ring the bell?

Of course, it does. It's been on most headlines since a certain gentleman moved into the White House in 2016. But fake news is much more than just a word used by politicians and journalists. Fake news can pose a real danger to any brand.

And since they spread incredibly fast through platforms like Facebook and Twitter, dealing with them is challenging. What's worse, if you can't protect yourself, they can ruin your entire enterprise with fake reviews, malicious rumors, or fake offers.

Fortunately, there are ways to ensure misinformation won't harm your organization. Keep reading to learn more.

Preparation

The whole defensive process against fake news and information can be divided into preparation and management. The first one will give you a headstart, and the second will help you deal with the disinformation campaign more efficiently.

Let's start with learning how to prepare for the worst.

Create a Plan

Since you're a manager who knows what he's doing, we assume you already have your business continuity plan. But the chances are, you haven't included fake news attacks as one of the threats awaiting your company.

Well, now it's the perfect time to do it. To make your job easier, use programs like Continuity2 business software. Doing that will ensure you have an efficient plan of dealing with fake news attacks.

Ensure it includes various types of false information with your potential response. Even if you prepare just an outline of your defensive strategy, it will help you significantly reduce the blow.

Build Your Online Brand

With a community of loyal fans, not even the worst piece of false information can harm your company. That's why building your brand awareness is crucial not just for commercial but also for protective reasons.

Having a loyal customer base and reputation will help you deal with the situation much faster and effectively. Why? Because they'll be able to undermine the fake information and stop it from spreading.

Don't forget that the more people you have on your side, the less credible hostile sources will seem.

Management

But as mentioned above, preparation is just the first piece of the puzzle. You also need to learn what actions you need to take in order to minimize the impact of fake news that hurt your brand.

Use Your Audience

We've mentioned before that a loyal community can work miracles in the event of a fake news attack. And while it can do a lot of good on its own, you should help them out to maximize their efforts. In short, encourage your audience to share the real story.

If you get the public on your side, you'll be able to discredit sources that have been spreading false news about your organization.

Communicate Your Narrative

Defending yourself is one thing. Doing it adequately is the other. Notice that many organizations often react emotionally. They lose their temper and sometimes even attack the source that's been spreading the harmful news.

As tempting as it may sound, it's not the right tactic. When you start noticing an increasing number of fake information about your company, you need to communicate your narrative calmly yet firmly.

Stick to your version, and show evidence that someone is spreading lies, hurting your brand's image. Also, keep in mind that you have to stick with it as long as possible once you come up with your response.

Changing your mind too often is a sign of weakness, and it looks unprofessional.

Work With Reliable News Sources

Sometimes the case may be that discrediting the source of fake news is impossible without professional help. If that's the case, the best practice is to work with reliable news companies who will be able to give you all the aid necessary.

They will provide you with more efficient research and authority required to distrust false stories that have been hurting your organization.

Final Note

Although fake news is a relatively new term, it's just a fancy word for lies. But that's not the only nuisance about that phrase. For obvious reasons, it's associated only with political connotations. The reality, however, is entirely different.

Fake news attacks can severely hurt any brand. And while it seems that there's no effective way to eliminate them completely, you can significantly minimize their outcome using specific techniques.

Everything starts with proper preparation. Creating a plan of action is a must if you want to act swiftly and efficiently. The second thing you need to remember is building your brand awareness.

With the help of a loyal community, you'll be able to deal with any fake news attack that comes your way.