The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted governments and organisations worldwide to rethink their crisis communication strategies. Social media platforms emerged as powerful tools for disseminating information quickly and directly to the public. This study by Sunway University's Dr Norizzati Azudin and her colleague focused on the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health's (MOH) use of Twitter as a platform for crisis communication during the early stages of the pandemic. By analysing the content, themes, and impact of the Saudi MOH's tweets, this research sheds light on the role of social media in managing crises and facilitating information flow.

Qualitative content analysis, a widely recognised approach, was employed to dissect the MOH's crisis communication on Twitter. This method facilitates an in-depth exploration of themes and trends emerging from the tweets. The research focused primarily on the official Twitter account of the Saudi MOH, @SaudiMOH, during the period from March 1 to March 31, 2020. This period marked the initial phase of the pandemic in the Kingdom, making it crucial to examine the government's communication strategy during this time.

This study highlights Twitter's unique capabilities for crisis communication. Its real-time nature and broad reach enabled the MOH to quickly disseminate information to the public. Hashtags like #COVID19 and #Prevention_corona allowed users to easily categorise and search for pandemic-related content. This strategic use of hashtags facilitated information sharing and promoted awareness among the Saudi population.

Through content analysis, ten dominant themes emerged from the MOH's tweets, which included advice on preventive measures, records of cases (both local and global), recovery records, and appreciation for frontline workers. The MOH also used Twitter to emphasise the importance of consulting official sources, discouraging the spread of rumours and false information. Additionally, the platform was leveraged to provide guidance inspired by the Prophet's teachings in dealing with infectious diseases. The Ministry's tweets encompassed a comprehensive range of themes, demonstrating a strategic and multifaceted approach to crisis communication.

The research underscores the effectiveness of the MOH's Twitter engagement. The Ministry's authoritative and consistent communication established it as a reliable source of information. The Saudi public's reliance on government instructions was evident in their responsiveness to the tweets. This highlighted Twitter's power to influence public behaviour during a crisis. This study parallels previous problems, such as the Ebola epidemic, where inadequate communication exacerbated the situation. In contrast, the MOH's proactive Twitter strategy was pivotal in managing the COVID-19 crisis.

This study underscores the pivotal role of social media, particularly Twitter, in crisis communication. The MOH's strategic platform effectively bridged the gap between authorities and the public. This study suggests that crisis communication strategies should incorporate social media platforms to effectively manage information dissemination and shape public responses. Future research avenues include exploring the specific impacts of retweeting and dissecting the functions of various social media platforms in crisis communication.
 

Dr Norizzati Azudin
School of Arts
Email: @email

This article is a part of the research work under the Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) COVID-19 Grant Scheme (PPPI/COVID19_0120/FKP/051000/14220).