Peran key opinion leader dalam strategi public relations pada komunikasi krisis perusahaan

Abstract

A crisis could damage a company’s reputation if it is not well managed with the right crisis communication strategy. Public relations (PR) is responsible for determining a company’s crisis communication strategy. The emergence of social media has made the potential for a crisis escalating into a social media crisis. Social mediated crisis communication (SMCC) is a crisis communication strategy model that involves social media and/or traditional media and online/offline word of mouth (WOM) communication. This study examines the Key Opinion Leader (KOL) role, crisis response time, messages form, and ways of delivering crisis information in the company’s crisis communication strategy by using the SMCC model. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. In-depth interviews were conducted with three informants, selected through purposive sampling technique, with criteria includes corporate PR practitioners with at least twenty-five years of experience and having experience and knowledge of corporate crisis communication. The study results indicate that KOL in the company’s PR strategy acts as an ally of the company in transmitting company crisis information to the public, especially when the public distrusts the company. Companies must respond to a crisis no later than the first twelve hours since the crisis arose to minimize the impact of the crisis. The choice of message for media must be adjusted to the origin of the crisis. The information submitted must be transparent, honest, and sustainable using the storytelling method of delivery. An interesting finding in this study is that KOL in the SMCC model is contained in social media, but KOL, like community leaders, becomes third parties who can successfully handle communication crises. In addition, the delivery of storytelling messages also plays a vital role in calming the community and that the message can be understood comprehensively