The immediacy of social media can be a big help or cause great harm during a crisis so it must be used with care, Red Banyan crisis PR expert Evan Nierman says in an article in YEC/Forbes.

Because social media is fast, direct and interactive,  the same qualities that make it great can also cause big problems, Evan explained.

The crisis communications playing field has been transformed by the rise of social media. No more is it a huge challenge to get the right information to the right people at the right time. Social media has made it easy to reach stakeholders and share important messages in the blink of an eye. Social media tools also allow organizations to monitor online conversations so they can keep tabs on stakeholder concerns and respond accordingly.

Read the entire article here.