The Effectiveness of Social Media as a Communication Platform During a Crisis in Public Relation; Insight of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
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Date
2024-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of social media in public relation during crisis communication within the Ethiopian banking sector, focusing on the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE). It examines the role of social media platforms to manage crises, correct misinformation, and maintain reputation, the advantages and drawbacks of social media as a tool for crisis communication. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys and the case study of the CBE system disruption in March 2024. The study reveals that social media platforms, like Facebook, are highly effective for real-time crisis communication, enabling rapid dissemination of information and direct engagement with the public. However, limitations such as the spread of misinformation, uneven access to digital platforms, hinder the full potential of these platforms. The study underscore the need for proactive social media monitoring and a hybrid communication approach—combining social media with traditional methods—to effectively reach a diverse audience and ensure long-term trust recovery.Facebook, Telegram, and TikTok are the most preferred social media platforms for crisis communication. The research highlights the effectiveness of various social media strategies, identifying key factors and strategies such as transparency, speed of response, multimedia-driven approach, and engagement that bolster communication during crises. The study highlights CBE’s inconsistent posting, over-reliance on text updates, and limited engagement with stakeholders. This research contributes to public relations theory by extending Coombs' Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and offers practical insights for public relations professionals in the Ethiopian banking sector, recommending strategies such as timely updates, content diversity, accurate information dissemination, and empathetic two-way engagement to enhance the effectiveness of crisis communication. Keywords: crisis communication, social media, hybrid communication strategy, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, stakeholder engagement, public trust.
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public trust, hybrid communication strategy