Especially strong was the eruption of the volcano's Web Eyjafjallajökull and its ash cloud in the social debate.

Here are a few examples what extent has accepted this, and how companies, interested and concerned parties took advantage of the social web to help each other too.

Now that the ash cloud issues, shipping delays and stranded passengers slowly subsiding, will be discussed more about how companies have mastered using the Internet to exchange information and communication needs of more or less. Above all, airlines had to prove themselves.

The ash cloud and Social Media:

News of the outbreak of the volcano with the unspeakable name Eyjafjallajökull Execute and its impact to air traffic flooded the Internet almost. you look at the issue of which dimensions in the social media sector has adopted, that is indeed very impressive.

Alone what caused the ash cloud on Twitter is incredible. A British journalist had the idea of the two words 'Ash' and 'HASTAG' to ashtag # combine ( via ). This Hashtag spread like wildfire and became one of the defining key word for all the ash cloud or flight failure-related tweets. But of course, the topic has also filled other channels.

Model example EURO CONTROL: This institution, the upper European airspace monitors, has non-stop Erkenntinsse on Twitter ( via ), Facebook and Youtube widespread and even a special page of their website set up on the videos and reports from around the ash cloud and the impact on air travel published. Hats off!

# Ashtag and the airlines:

Especially for the Airlines was one of the biggest challenges to turn to skillfully to customers or the public. On slideshare I found the following readable presentation, which shows how a few have airlines reacted in this crisis:

Lufthansa is indeed in the past through skilful communication made famous via Twitter. Even with respect to the flight cancellations by the ash cloud in the direction of the Lufthansa affected customers and has also targeted Twittering on Facebook informed. Really good I also think KLM, which a question-and-answer Tab their Facebook Page added. The Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss has through communication on their Facebook Page polished and also on Twitter , the airline has been to answer questions ( via ). Embarrassingly, however, are the airlines that the ash cloud HASTAG # for non-relevant Tweets ashtag have used, such as British Airways. There is no current discussion has followed well, because otherwise such a relevant HASTAG should be known.

Well you have to remember also that the call center of the storm Airlines were not grown from there HAD to be served the requests through other channels.

In the comments of a blog article on "crisis management of airlines during the ash cloud in the Social Web" I'm on a statement by Condor encountered, which states that you should demand return of the customer to have the focus. Therefore, there was no Facebook page and also the Twitter account is still not a full information channel. I think it's laudable that Condor can write the flag on that you quickly returned people have it so. However, I put myself in the position of one of the castaways, it would certainly have me as important to be informed thereof. And especially with modern channels like Twitter. It is questionable whether it would have been useful as spontaneously create a Facebook page. But the existing Twitter account would have been hard to use immediately!

# Getmehome and the stranded passengers:

That really blew me away: What was the Hashtag # ashtag Airlines was the stranded customers or for getmehome # # putmeup. So affected have the Twitter helped each other over, they have formed car pools (# road sharing) and other tips given. Also on Facebook passengers have spontaneously formed groups to exchange ideas. A wonderful example of how useful can be social media.

Advertising with volcanic eruptions:

Whenever there is a hype or a "sensation" is, some brands have the idea so as to promote a product and to sprinkle on Social Media. An example of this is out of aspirin with a display image on which volcano using an oversized aspirin or invalidate the SIXT who say " Do not go into the air because so much ash. Rent for less at Sixt .

Advertisers like to use a current hype for context-sensitive ads. Here, in the configuration of the ads simply current keywords (like added here, for example, "ash cloud," "Volcano" or "Eyjafjallajökull") to the relavanten keywords so that the advertisement is then displayed accordingly. But just in case of natural disasters or bad events, the risk is high that the Markenabieter an Image Problem bears it. If one looks for instance at Youtube for Eyjafjallajökull, so advertising will be displayed starting with Michael for Ballaké-in-the-urlaub.de with the title "Funny Michael Ballaké"

Appropriate or not is in the eye of the beholder. "Funny" I think it's certainly not about ash cloud.

What else is nice to know:

Most discussions revolved around the theme of airlines and stranded visitors. However, the incident had on so many other things affect. Did you know

• that the launch of the game "Silent Hill" for the Nintendo Wii by the volcanic eruption was delayed ?
• that the premiere of Iron Man 2 in Los Angeles instead of London had stattgefinden?
• that the world's largest construction equipment trade fair in Munich so BAUMA orphaned stands were found?
• that providers of online conference systems greatly benefited from the ash cloud ( via )?
• that the logistics of many major manufacturers put to the test and was
• Miniclips.com that a suitable browser game has made this online?

I believe we can not even quite grasp the full extent. But what I know now is that help people regardless of race, origin or religion, each other. And social media will help us! This is great!