Leveraging PPC for Effective Crisis Management: Regaining Control of Your Brand's Narrative

Our PR and communications teams are experts at crafting narratives and managing public perception. But what happens when a crisis threatens to overshadow all that hard work and what other disciplines/tactics can a brand or agency employ to help gain back control of the conversation?

Since Clarity acquired a Digital Marketing arm, this is a question that I have been repeatedly asked. This blog post explores how PPC can be part of the crisis response to protect and enhance your brand. 

In any crisis, a brand needs to control the narrative. If they don’t address the issue, somebody else will and the brand will be on the back foot. This is exactly where paid media advertising can support;

Paid Search Response

Google Search Ads can be created and launched very quickly. By targeting keywords that surround the theme of the crisis and the brand, we can deliver a tailored message and send the user to a dedicated landing page that details the brand’s response to the crisis.

This can be activated to achieve top-of-page visibility pushing down news articles about the crisis. Putting the brand first at the point when someone is searching for it - leading the narrative. 

Paid Social Response

Similarly, Paid Social can be an incredibly effective tool. Here, we can target the brand’s ICP directly with visual storytelling and impactful messaging. We can be broader, should the crisis spill over to those outside their ICP or we can be as targeted as only reaching people who have interacted with the brand. 

In addition, we can push thought-leader’s profiles with their response. When key business leaders post their response to the crisis, we can amplify their reach beyond their organic following. This profile boost ensures they are visibility addressing and owning the response outside their professional network. 

Example

To give an example;

Crisis: Our client, a large oil company, has had a significant oil spill that has made international news. 

Paid Response #1: A dedicated landing page has been created, detailing the company’s response. This includes a response plan, deadlines and key facts about the issue. A paid search campaign is activated targeting keywords such as ‘brand name’, ‘oil spill’, ‘oil spill in x location’, directing users to that page. The ad speaks to the company addressing the issue and encourages the searcher to see the response. It is the first listing the searcher sees when they search.

Paid Response #2: The CEO has posted his response on LinkedIn, a long and detailed post that was written to give people confidence the company is in control of the situation. We identify an audience and amplify this message, ensuring that the CEO is highly visible within and outside of his professional network. 

This KFC example is a great example of how a full strategy can help a company with a crisis.

To conclude, integrating PPC strategies into your crisis management plan can be a powerful tool for regaining control of the narrative and effectively communicating your brand's response. By leveraging both paid search and paid social media, brands can ensure their message reaches the right audience quickly and effectively. In times of crisis, being proactive and transparent is crucial, and PPC allows brands to lead the conversation, address public concerns, and reinforce trust.

A well-executed paid media response not only mitigates negative impacts but also positions the brand as responsible and responsive. By applying these digital marketing tactics, brands can navigate crises with greater agility and maintain their reputation in challenging times.

If you're interested in how our digital marketing and paid teams can help your business, get in touch now.

Image courtesy of Unsplash and Riley.