![\"hyatt-godzilla\"](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/scribblelive-com-prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hyatt-godzilla-570x132.png\")
<\/p>\nHyatt recently introduced\u00a0World of Hyatt, the hotel operator’s new loyalty program, and\u00a0the brand did a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) to showcase its features and answer questions from members. The brand made its SVP of Loyalty available for the live Q&A. And they were trolled. Hard. Here’s one example:<\/p>\n
And another:<\/p>\n
![\"hyatt-unsubscribe\"](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/scribblelive-com-prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hyatt-unsubscribe-570x131.png\")
Responses like that are not exactly what a marketing or corporate communications team envisions when they pitch a live Q&A to boost engagement and build trust with customers and prospects.<\/p>\n
![\"hyatt-reddit-crying\"](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/scribblelive-com-prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hyatt-reddit-crying-570x379.png\")
Hyatt is not the first brand to watch a live Q&A veer way, way, way off track. For example, Google’s Site Readability Team did a Reddit AMA, too, in 2014. Unfortunately (thanks to hilarious timing), Gmail crashed during the AMA and the whole event spiraled into a mess of complaints and insults.<\/p>\n
You\u2019d think brands would see those past fiascos and pause before wading into real-time Q&A sessions on the internet, but nope. Folks keep jumping in, maybe hoping their earnestness or clever twist on the format will shield them from the carnage. It\u2019s almost like playing a rigged carnival game\u2014everyone secretly knows the odds, but there\u2019s always someone convinced they\u2019ll win a giant stuffed bear. Sometimes, the massive reach and instant visibility are just too tempting to resist, risk be damned.<\/p>\n
There are countless other similar stories, and a lot of PR nightmares in recent years have started with a poorly thought out #Ask on Twitter.<\/p>\n
The funny part (well, maybe \u201cfunny\u201d is the wrong word if your brand is the punchline) is that the digital mob rarely sticks to the planned script. Give people a live mic\u2014virtually or otherwise\u2014and they might surprise you with a curveball, or in Hyatt\u2019s case, a Godzilla meme. Honestly, it\u2019s almost impressive how quickly a supposedly straightforward Q&A can be pirated by the crowd for their own running jokes or grievances. Nobody really tells you about this part at marketing conferences, for obvious reasons.<\/p>\n
So, should live brand Q&As be put to rest? Not necessarily. Here are a few tips to make sure that your live Q&A doesn’t turn into a cautionary tale.<\/p>\n
As with many things in life, moderation is key. Moderate all questions and comments before they are published for the whole world to see.<\/p>\n
Moderation is especially important for brands that have less-than-satisfied customers by nature of what they do \u2013 internet\/mobile service providers, financial institutions, and public transit commissions come to mind.<\/p>\n
This doesn’t mean that brands shouldn’t respond to unhappy customers. They definitely should. Unhappy customers with legitimate complaints deserve acknowledgment through thoughtful and helpful responses (whether on- or offline given the tone\/theme of the Q&A). It’s the trolls that need to be weeded out.<\/p>\n
Twitter and Reddit are great engagement tools when used properly, but the openness and lack of moderation capabilities leave brands vulnerable to trolls and PR disasters when it comes to Q&As.<\/p>\n
Opening a live Q&A to any question can and will get chaotic. Instead, pick one theme or topic per Q&A. This will help keep the session cohesive and on track.<\/p>\n
For example, airline Ryanair is one of the rare case studies in which #Ask works on Twitter.<\/p>\n
The brand’s regular Twitter Q&A, #AskRyanair, is an hour-long live chat\/customer service initiative hosted every week. A different member of the Ryanair team is featured for each Q&A, and every team member has a specific area of expertise, which lends itself to be the event’s theme. Before each Q&A, the Ryanair team member’s bio and picture are shared, making the theme\/host known to attendees. Bonus: these types of live customer service Q&As give a brand some personality and reduce support tickets.<\/p>\n
Live video Q&As are becoming an increasingly popular communication tools for brands. Birchbox, for example, is doing great things with Facebook Live. Birchbox is a subscription service that sends its customers a box of beauty products every month.<\/p>\n