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How the IAEA used social media channels to augment its outreach and crisis communications efforts during the initial weeks of the Fukushima nuclear accident.
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Social Media in Crisis
CommunicationsThe IAEA’s Experience in Using Social Media
During the Fukushima Nuclear Accident
Rodolfo Quevenco, Public Information [email protected]
About the IAEA
One the IAEAOne the IAEA’’s primary s primary responsibilities during a nuclear responsibilities during a nuclear emergency is to inform States emergency is to inform States Parties, Members States, and Parties, Members States, and other States of a nuclear or other States of a nuclear or
radiological emergency. radiological emergency.
Our Social Media Profile
Before 03/11•YouTube since 2007
• Flickr since 2008
•Press and Info Blogs since 2008
• Facebook since mid- 2009 (5000 fans)
•Twitter since early 2009 (4,800 followers)
•Slideshare since 2010
•Scribd since late 2010
Earthquake & Tsunami Devastate Japan,
March 11, 2011
Web Site Visits
Web traffic volume comparable to a DOS
(Denial of Service)attack
E-mail Traffic
•1,000+ emails/week
•requests for information or help; offers of technical advise
•emotional, angry, anxious
•staff, consultants, interns on 24/7 email management shift
Simplified Overview
National Authority
IAEA IncidentEmergency
Center
MemberStates
Info Division
OtherOfficial Sources
Partners
New mediaTraditional
Web
Press/PublicPress/PublicPress/PublicPress/Public
Immediate Effect:
Web site and email overload severely
affected our ability to reach and inform the
public.
Change of Strategy:
Use social media to support outreach,
mimimise load on the web site.
•Facebook for Status/Daily Updates
•Twitter to announce breaking, short updates
•YouTube to host video files
•Slideshare to host technical presentations
•Scribd to upload and share reports
Slideshare
IAEA presentations on Slideshare had 490,598 total Views, 1,036 Email Shares and 17,990 Downloads.
Scribd
Total photo views on IAEA’s photostream increased from an average of 5158 images per week from 07-13 March 2011 to an average of 17,895
views per week during the crisis period.
Rules of Engagement
•open communication
•emphasis on factual announcements; less pr messaging/sound bites
•quick interaction
•tolerance (within limits)
Our efforts get noticed
•Los Angeles Timeshttp://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/03/japan-earthquake-iaea-youtube-facebook-nuclear-updates.html
•USA Todayhttp://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-04-12-1Ajapansocialmedia12_CV_N.htm
Strategic Importance
The Pluses (+)
•Reach a massive audience instantly
•Provides continuous, immediate feedback
•Empowers staff to react and adjust approaches
•Enhances Agency’s image, re transparency, accessibility
The Minuses (-)
•Staff resources stretched to the maximum
•“Trouble-makers” can hijack the conversation
•Instant answers vs official data: difficulty to merge public expectation with institutional realities
Operational Insights
•Critical comments outnumbered positive comments by 3:1
•Rational, factual, non-argumentative replies worked best
•Strong tendency for users to self-correct each other
•Continuous monitoring of discussions absolutely essential
Summary
•All Social Media Channels registered significant/sustained increase in usage
•Facebook and Twitter were top channels referring to IAEA’s web site
•IAEA Facebook account hosted 40x more views than iaea.org web site
•Cross-posting/retweets by sister UN organizations key factors
IAEA Social media fans have stayed loyal.
For crisis communication,the promise* of Social Media has proven true.
*Reaching as wide an audience at the shortest possible time with instantaneous
feedback.
It helped (a lot).It worked.
It can work for you, too.
IAEA Social Media Channels
www.facebook.com/iaeaorg/www.twitter.com/iaeaorg
www.youtube.com/iaeavideowww.flickr.com/photos/iaea_imagebank
www.slideshare.net/iaeawww.scribd.com/iaea
