Here We Are Again
Showing up on social media when the world keeps breaking, again and again
Earlier this year, I wrote an article called When Disaster Strikes about how to handle your winery’s social media during natural disasters. At the time, we were facing the devastating fires in Southern California, and I was grappling with a lot of personal feelings around it.
I’m a generally optimistic person, even with the ongoing civil unrest in the United States, so I’m being honest when I say I really didn’t think that we’d be returning to this conversation so soon.
But between what’s happening in LA right now with the peaceful protests against ICE being unnecessarily escalated by the current regime, the violence in Gaza and the illegal detention of the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid, and the steady erosion of the rule of law here in the U.S., I’ve found myself asking again:
How should we show up on social media when the world feels so fucking heavy?
It seems necessary to revisit this topic through the lens of civil unrest, human rights crises, and the constant barrage of difficult news.
And beyond all of that, I want to talk about how we choose to show up on social media when everything feels like too much.
Part 1: First, Pause & Assess
If you already have posts scheduled or are planning content, take a moment to assess:
Is what’s happening right now something your audience is likely feeling acutely?
Is your content going to feel jarring, irrelevant, or tone-deaf at this moment?
This is a step many brands skip. Don’t be that brand.
When to Acknowledge, When to Stay Silent
Key points to keep in mind:
If the unrest touches your region or your community or aligns with your brand’s values, it’s appropriate to acknowledge it.
For example, if your winery is in Los Angeles or has a strong LA customer base, it might feel odd not to mention this week’s events.
If your brand has been vocal about human rights, justice, or other aligned issues in the past, your audience will likely expect some acknowledgment.
If you’re not prepared to say something helpful or authentic, staying silent for a bit is okay. A rushed, vague, or performative post can do more harm than good. If you’re unsure what to say, pausing gives you space to think, listen, and gather your thoughts.
Performative posts help no one.
Don’t post “because you think you should” or because everyone else is.
Your post should either provide clarity, resources, and genuine solidarity—or it can wait.
If you post, be ready to listen and engage thoughtfully. Posts about the big, heavy things can trigger some unwanted comments or backlash. If that happens, respond with empathy and kindness where appropriate, but know that you do not need to engage with trolls. Protect your energy. This can look like:
Limiting comments on posts where appropriate (temporarily or permanently)
Using Instagram’s “Restrict” feature on accounts posting inflammatory comments (restricted users won’t know they’ve been restricted).
Deleting comments that are abusive, racist, homophobic, antisemitic, Islamophobic, or violate your brand’s values and blocking the people leaving them. This is your space; you do not owe anyone an unmoderated platform.
You can show up with integrity and protect your well-being.
Part 2: You Can Choose to Be a Bright Spot
Beyond the immediate question of what do I post today, there’s a bigger conversation to be had:
What kind of space do I want my brand’s social media to be? Especially during the hard times.
I’ve been thinking about this constantly since January as I watch all of the “unprecedented" and “historic” events unfold and try to guide my clients and myself through it all.
I keep coming back to something I wrote in my notes when thinking about a completely different post I wanted to write this week:
You can choose to be a bright spot on social media.
This doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening and being all la-dee-da about *gestures widely* all of this. It does mean choosing to create a space that feels aligned with your values, a space that offers love, calm, and connection when people need it most.
That might look like:
Sharing heartfelt thanks and love for your community.
Offering small, human moments of joy or education.
Engaging with your audience with warmth and curiosity, like you would in your tasting room.
Ask yourself: How do I want someone to feel after they see this?
You're on the right track if the answer is seen, supported, soothed, or strengthened.
Of course, at some point, the question becomes: When do we start posting regular content again?
There’s no perfect formula here; every situation is different, and recovery (whether emotional or physical) takes time. But there are some thoughtful ways to approach this, so that when you do start posting again, it feels appropriate and aligned.
Part 3: When to Resume Regular Content
Like I said in my post When Disaster Strikes, there’s no hard and fast rule for when it’s “okay” to return to business-as-usual posting because no two situations are the same. What matters most is how thoughtfully you do it.
Here’s what I recommend:
Keep monitoring the situation.
I’ll be honest: this is a hard one because right now, it feels like the situation is never-ending. Waves of the bullshit have been unfolding (and rapidly increasing in frequency) since 2016.
So, instead of waiting for a clear “all clear,” I encourage you to ask: What does my audience need from me right now?
If the news is especially raw or painful that day, maybe you pause.
If it’s a quieter moment and your brand can offer a little steadiness or lightness, maybe you post something gentle.
There won’t be a perfect, linear path through this. The goal is to move forward with care, not with a rigid timeline.
When things shift, ease back in.
When it does feel appropriate to begin posting your regular content again, ease back in.
Don’t go straight from silence or solidarity posts to "20% off our Chardonnay this weekend!" Give your audience a little breathing room.
Start with a behind-the-scenes update or a peaceful vineyard scene that doesn’t have a hard and fast call to action.
Stay sensitive even once you’ve resumed.
Remember that for many people, the emotional and material impacts of these moments last far beyond the news cycle. Be mindful of tone.
Keep listening.
Stay attuned to how your audience is responding. If a new event unfolds (which, let’s be real, it probably will), be ready to adjust again.
Most of all, remember the goal isn’t to “get back to selling” as fast as possible.
It’s to continue showing up in a way that reflects your brand’s values and builds trust with your community.
I hate to say it this way because it feels a little cold but as a business on social media, you’re playing the long game. You have to promote your product or service to stay in business. But the way you choose to do that in moments like this is what shapes your reputation for the long haul.
If your brand becomes known as one that shows up with care, clarity, and humanity even when things are hard, that trust will build loyalty, which will help you in the long run.
Again, There’s no perfect formula for handling social media during times of civil unrest and human rights crises. It’s uncomfortable, and it’s easy to second-guess yourself.
But if you show up with empathy and integrity and let your values guide you, you’ll be doing better than most.
Take care of yourself and your team; and take care of your little corner of the internet.