MSF in social media during the Haiti emergency

Social media – a possibility to do global communication on a small budgetHow Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) use social media to reach communication goals.

Lina Eidmark / Web manager @ MSF Sweden

Special thanks to Avril Benoit (MSF Canada), Nina Privatera (MSF international) and Artur Leczycki (Publik PR)

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without borders is an international, medical humanitarian organization. We save lives where needs are the greatest.

The Haiti caseHow social media

- changed the human perception from up close and far away

- played a significant role in news reporting

- helped doing social good

Social media & Haiti

January 12, 2010 4.53 p.m A catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake hits Haiti. The epicentre was approx. 25 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince. It was rapidly announced as one of the worst humanitarian crisis of our time.

The Haiti earthquake

In just three weeks…- Facebook fan base grew with 400 % to almost 620 000 people today

- Fundraising appeals were shared hundred and thousands of times

- Number of Twitter followers grew with 500 % and Twitter also became a channel for communicating with key actors/influencers to overcome obstacles.

- Hundred and thousands of people read our fieldworkers’ blogs – some of them were also published in external media (BBC / CNN / dn.se / nouvelobs.fr…)

- Since phones were down in Haiti – social media also became a tool to keep in touch with people on the ground, both MSF staff and, to a less extent, people in need.

Results

Reaching goals : Visibility

”These 8 min gave a better understanding of the situation than 100 news reports. I am deeply touched. How can I best contribute to your work?”

Reaching goals: Visibility

Reaching goals: Visibility

17MSF & social media | May 2010


VRWCTexan @MSF_canada RT @lightxxx - We have a lady dying of rabies we need Rabies antitoxin asap // at Petionville Golf Course Field Hospital

VRWCTexan @MSF_canada RT @lightxxx We have a lady dying of rabies we need Rabies antitoxin asap #Haiti

rqskye @msf_canada RT @lightxxx-We have a lady dying of rabies we need Rabies antitoxin asap

rqskye @msf_canada RT @ShaunKing-NYT: 10 kids have died waiting 2 B "cleared" 4 flights. Doctors now afraid of being arrestedhttp://nyti.ms/b5HDES

Reaching goals : Acceptance

Reaching goals : Acceptance

Reaching goals : Leverage

Goals : Leverage

How could we do all this?- Massive need for information – we were one of quite few actors on the ground when the earthquake struck

- Overwhelming media coverage – cross fertilization

- Having communications staff on the ground asap - eyewitnesses

- Creating link love – sharing and retweeting – best practices

- Reactive/proactive balance – update information rapidly – monitor and correct

But above all…we were prepared!- Most offices have well entertained social media channels

- ”Old” channels are more credible and better indexed by search engines

- Existing strategies and guidelines, but with room for flexibility

- Trained staff in offices and conscious staff on the ground

Tactics

Yet…we faced some real challenges- Lack of control in messaging snowball effect not enough resources to monitor and manage the myths

- Too much information circulating – need to verify sources time demanding

- Duplicating work load

- Rebalancing HQ staff resources between web and social media

Challenges

- How to respond to desperate calls for help?

Challenges

One story in particular sparked a great many offers of specific help (flights, cars) that, frankly, overwhelmed us and proved to be a distraction.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/americas/haiti+help+for+baby+landina/3529537

- Reverse leverage overwhelming response to some of our storiesChallenges

Weddressproject Why is @MSF_CANADA saying that the Ministry of Health is going to see #BABYLANDINA today, but we are still trying to get them to go there? about 19 hours ago from web

Weddressproject @MSF_CANADA You stated earlier that the Ministry of Health was going to see #BABYLANDINA. When is that goig to happen? about 20 hours ago from web

MelyMello The life and/or death of a child should not be fodder for political postering. #SaveLandina @UN @MSF_US @MSF_canada 4:11 PM Feb 7th from web

VRWCTexan @MSF_canada RT @ShaunKing Need current contact inform & GPS coordinates for baby & docs MSF:http://bit.ly/brK3YJ we are ready to move 8:32 PM Feb 6th from web in reply to MSF_canada

Challenges

- Overwhelming interest – difficult to give priority to communicationsChallenges

Challenges

So how can we deal with that next time?

Need to plan for the unplannable!- Leave room for flexibility and spontaniety in communication crisis plan

- A few staff can have tremendous impact – eyewitness

- Clear guidelines and briefings for (field) staff

- Keep social media channels active all the time – immediate response

International working group to elaborate strategy and guidelines

Crisis communication plan for web/social media: who does what?

Rebalance efforts between web and social media

Strategy

Social media - checklist- Be prepared – have your channels ready.

- And set up clear guidelines, a useful strategy and determine goals.

- Make sure you have support from managing teams. When the crisis hits – you will lose too much time asking for permission.

- Accept that it is a learning by doing process that requires flexibility.

And when you start communicate-Be nice

-Tell the truth

- Talk, but listen just as much

- Share and exchange

- Answer all direct questions – just as you would answer the phone in your office.

Checklist

Thank you!

Information, ideas, comments…[email protected]

www.facebook.com/msf.englishwww.twitter.com/MSF_USA

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MSF in social media during the Haiti emergency

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