1. Community Management
During Hurricane Sandy
By: Andrew Torba
CEO and Co-Founder of Kuhcoon.com.

2. Some Staggering Social Facts
• 9 million tweets sent with the hashtag “Sandy”
as of 10/31/12 - Topsy
• 10 pictures uploaded per second during the
storm on Instagram with the hashtag “Sandy”-
CBS News
• Hurricane Sandy quickly rose to the second
most talked about topic on Facebook in 2012,
behind only the Presidential election.
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3. Top Terms Used on Facebook Before
and After the Storm.
• Data via Facebook, graphic via
TechCrunch.
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4. How did Community Managers
respond?
• Tips
• Resources
• Evacuation notices
• Latest updates
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5. Universities
• Answered questions.
• Provided information for
further resources.
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6. Businesses
• Kept in touch with customers.
• Provided information during
power outages, flooding.
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7. Local Media Companies
• Helped spread news
throughout the local
communities.
• Credible source of
information.
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8. Fake Viral Images and Rumors
• Several fake images quickly went
viral including a photo of soldiers
standing guard at the Tomb of
Unknowns and a report that three
feet of water flooded the New York
Stock Exchange.
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9. Traditional Media Journalists
• Provided verified information and images.
• Helped inform users of fake viral images
and stories.
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10. Those not affected
• Offered support.
• Showed the human side of
social media.
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11. Disaster Push Marketing
• Many saw this tweet as
insensitive. Gap later apologized
with this tweet:
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12. The Red Cross’ Engagement and Likes
Quadrupled
• People turned to official sources for
credible information.
• Provided photos, information, and
resources.
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13. Case Study: NEPA Hurricane Sandy
Watch Page
• Page created by two young Northeastern
Pennsylvania residents.
• Helped inform the NEPA area with real time data and
information from the National Weather Center.
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14. Case Study: NEPA Hurricane Sandy
Watch Page
• Within 48 hours the page managed to receive nearly
50,000 likes.
• The page saw thousands of people engaging and sharing
the information across their personal networks; easily
reaching over a million people.
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15. Lessons Learned
• Don’t believe everything you see on
the Internet.
• Verify information before sharing with
your community.
• Do not advertise and push market
during a disaster.
• Provide tips, news, credible
information, and resources.
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