The role of influencers in natural disasters
They shouldn’t be dismissed during a crisis.
Nicole Tidei is a vice president at Pinkston, a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications firm.
Hurricane Milton struck the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday night, bringing 100 mph winds and multiple tornadoes that left millions without power. This is only two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck from the Florida Gulf up through Western North Carolina, killing more than 220 people and causing an estimated $47.5 billion in property damage.
News media is central to preparation and response efforts, spreading vital information to and about affected areas. However, as Americans increasingly get their news through social media, local governments and emergency response organizations must adapt to a more effective means of spreading life-saving information. Partnering with social media influencers who have built trust with millions of followers allows response teams to amplify their impact and quickly share their message.
Social media reaches more than 90% of Americans and, in the case of TikTok, provides the news for nearly 40% of young adults in the U.S. Organizations such as FEMA often have only a few hundred thousand followers, making it difficult for them to reach the broader population. Influencers with a million or more followers, however, can disseminate information and spread awareness for FEMA and other groups, allowing them to provide vital information to countless people.
Quick access to accurate information can save lives in a crisis. Influencers can reach millions in real time while sharing crucial information on key evacuation routes, safety guidelines and local resources. For example, Dr. Meghan Martin, known on TikTok as beachgem10 for her content as a pediatric ER doctor, has millions of views on videos discussing how to prepare for and clean up after a storm. With hundreds of thousands of shares, her videos provide followers much-needed information without any wasted time. Dr. Martin – and dozens like her – can impact millions.
Many influencers can also leverage their platform to drive disaster relief donations. Well over half of Americans who make more than $100,000 a year are on Facebook and Instagram, making social media campaigns particularly impactful. Whether it’s posting a link to a story or hosting a fundraising event or donation matching, social media influencers are powerful partners in encouraging unaffected followers to take action in the face of natural disasters.
We also live in an era where misinformation can run rampant. The aftermath of Helene made this all too clear, with inaccurate information about federal disaster relief assistance quickly spreading across social media, sometimes preventing crucial information from reaching the people in these areas. Working with influencers to provide fact-checked and verified updates is an effective way to counteract false narratives by quickly spreading the truth across social media. Particularly in a time where America’s trust in the more traditional media has hit record lows, teaming up with influencers, who build their brand around being recognizable and relatable, can go a long way toward ensuring timely, accurate information reaches Americans and is delivered in a way that they feel they can trust.
Social media influencers can also combat feelings of loneliness or helplessness after a natural disaster. Catastrophes such as hurricanes take a heavy emotional toll on those whose homes or lives were impacted. By sharing stories of resilience and recovery, influencers can provide emotional support to their followers. With more than a third of Americans going to social media as a way to cope with stress, ensuring that there are positive messages on these platforms is key to promoting a quick recovery.
Partnering with influencers allows disaster response teams to promptly get important messages across through the most effective channels. These social media personalities have incredible influence over the average American – and it comes with responsibility. Let’s encourage them to use their voice wisely to make a real difference when it’s needed most.
This was a fascinating read about the increasing importance of influencers during natural disasters! Today, more people rely on social media for real-time updates and guidance during a crisis, making their roles very important. It is encouraging to see influencers using their platforms to promote safety and help their audiences in times of need. Influencers roles could help save lives, especially for those that get most of their news from social media. I am eager to see if more organizations with see this and actively collaborate with trusted influencers. -Christina Hunt, writer/editor for Platform Magazine