X — investigating
We are investigating [symptom, e.g. failed logins] affecting [scope] since [time, time zone]. We will post an update by [time] or sooner. Status page: [link]
X — identified
Update on [issue]: we have identified the cause, [short cause], and are rolling out a fix. [Scope] is still affected. Data is [safe / being checked]. Next update by [time]. [status link]
Bluesky — resolved
Resolved: [issue] is fixed as of [time, time zone]. Impact: [who and how long]. We will publish a short postmortem by [date]. Sorry for the disruption. [status link]
LinkedIn — postmortem summary
On [date], [Product] was [unavailable / degraded] for [duration]. What happened: [plain-language cause]. Who was affected: [scope]. What we did: [response steps]. What we are changing: - [Change 1] - [Change 2] The full postmortem, including the timeline, is here: [link] We know you rely on [Product] for [job]. We are sorry we let you down.
Tips
- Post the first acknowledgment fast, even with little detail. Silence is worse than 'we are investigating'.
- Always give the time of the next update and keep that promise, even if the update is 'no change yet'.
- Use the same time zone in every update and include it each time.
- Pause scheduled promotional posts during an incident. A cheerful launch post in the middle of an outage damages trust.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I post incident updates?
Every 30 to 60 minutes during an active incident is common, or whenever the status changes. Say when the next update will come in each post.
How do I stop scheduled posts from going out during an outage?
Use a pause or kill switch in your scheduler. In SocialHandoff, the kill switch holds all queued posts and stops agents until you resume, while incident updates can still be approved and published.