Social media is the use of mobile technologies and web-based applications to connect with the online community. Examples of social media include, but are not limited to, blogs, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, YouTube, and Facebook. They are powerful communications tools that have a significant impact on organizational and professional reputations. Posts and content added by the administrators of the official University of Missouri social media accounts are official University of Missouri content. Opinions expressed on social media channels by other users do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the University of Missouri. Your followers should be able to recognize your content, no matter where they see it.
If a company takes the latter approach, Flynn said the social media policy should be more detailed in restricting content. The stakes can be high for enterprises when employees use their social media channels in unapproved ways, and savvy companies know the importance of developing extensive social media guidelines. Your lack of social media guidelines could discourage employees from becoming brand advocates and even applicants from joining your company.
It’s a set of best practices you determine for your staff to follow while posting on your company’s social media handles and pages or using their own personal handles. The Social Media Policy provides guidelines for employees using social media, both personally and on behalf of the company. It emphasizes responsible use, maintaining productivity, and ensuring the company’s image and confidentiality are upheld. The policy also outlines potential disciplinary actions for violations. There’s also a more specific section for employees posting on official university channels. This template will guide you through the types of things to include and write in your guidelines.
As we’ve seen, some companies have vague and general social media policies. A really good social media policy will reflect the specific nature of your company and business. A social media policy should protect the company and set boundaries for the employee. To maintain a professional and appropriate relationship with students, NYCPS employees should not communicate on personal social media sites with students who are currently enrolled in NYCPS schools.
Be prepared when responding to questions or feedback shared through your social channelPublic responses may be seen by many people. If the response contains sensitive information, or if the response is specific to an individual, provide the individual with a more direct way to contact you (email or phone). Use caution before posting “breaking news” to OUSMAs or speculating on big announcements that do not have details included in official University correspondence. For more robust features, the University has a contract with Sprout Social to assist UA personnel in diving deeper into social media analytics, listening streams and content creation. Clearly state what can and cannot be shared publicly to avoid any breaches of confidentiality.
Some of these will be general, such as avoiding legal issues and protecting the brand’s image. Others can be more specific, based on your company’s unique position in the market and culture. Be prepared to implement crisis management protocols from your style guide in the event of negative publicity, customer complaints, or other reputational threats on social media. Follow established procedures for escalation, communication, and response, using pre-approved messaging templates and designated spokespersons to address the situation promptly and professionally. Implement engagement guidelines from your style guide to interact with your audience in a consistent and meaningful manner. Respond promptly to comments, messages, and mentions, using the appropriate tone of voice and language style outlined in your guide.
The social media landscape is vast, and what people say out there about your brand can have implications for your business. Notice how Dell uses these sections to define expectations and ties the policy back to the company’s code of conduct and equal employment opportunity policy. You can even use Sprout’s social listening tools to ensure you’re the first to know when someone says something negative about your brand. The faster you’re aware of a problem, the easier it is to fix it before the fire spreads.
Benefits Of A Corporate Social Media Policy
The FDA monitors claims related to food, beverage, and supplement products. The FTC scrutinizes online reviews, endorsements and testimonials, including those from social media influencers. Everyone involved with your organization needs to understand social media compliance. For enterprises, social media compliance means making sure every post, reply, workflow, and account follows the right laws, industry-specific regulations, and internal standards. If you’re responsible for a social media strategy, you should not be restricted from accessing these sites during the work day from a work computer, with the following caveats.
Moreover, a social media policy fosters a positive and respectful online culture. By clearly articulating the company’s values and expectations for online behavior, the policy encourages employees to use social media in a manner consistent with the company’s brand and values. This not only protects the brand reputation but also promotes a cohesive and professional online presence. While employees have the right to express themselves on personal social media accounts, it’s important to recognize that what you post can still affect your professional life and the company’s reputation. Personal accounts should not be a place to vent frustrations or post content that could be considered offensive, harmful, or divisive.
Employees that are responsible for representing the company on social media are required to uphold the company’s image, core values, and brand. Subsequently, [company name] expects all employees to remain fair, professional, and polite to any [company name] partners, shareholders, customers, members, and/or suppliers. The social media policy should explain that employees are representatives of the company and emphasize the importance of maintaining professional standards on social media. [newline]Social media policies should inform employees how to use social media in a way that complies with the law and industry regulations.
Company Social Media Policy Template For Employees
Refrain from using social media while on work time or on equipment we provide, unless it is work-related as authorized by your manager or consistent with the Company Equipment Policy. Do not use [Company] email addresses to register on social networks, blogs or other online tools utilized for personal use. Make sure they’re listed in your style guide so everyone posting to your social channels uses the right term every time.
Compliance With Other Company Policies
Social media guidelines will reflect your company’s core values, and that includes defining the way you want your business to communicate its messages and interact with its target audiences. A good social media policy will define appropriate personal use and help define the boundaries between company and personal uses. You can use the sections listed below to form a social media policy template. Brandwatch has partnered with Sociuu to provide an integration that makes it easy to implement employee advocacy alongside your social media management activities. The online community allows brands to connect with their customers like never before, but it has risks, too. Bloomerang provides a good sample of a nonprofit social media policy to emulate, and it’s a fine example of good social media governance.
Social media platforms provide avenues for brand promotion, but they also present opportunities to misrepresent your brand, which is why a good social media policy is so necessary. A well-crafted social media policy is important for companies that want to foster a culture of accountability and professionalism online. By employing these metrics, organizations can assess the effectiveness of their social media policy and make necessary adjustments to ensure it remains relevant and impactful. Regular reviews and updates are essential to maintaining a robust and effective social media policy. This clarity ensures that employees understand their responsibilities and the limits of their social media activities in relation to the company.
Up front, you should specify the date the guidelines were last updated. Employees often need to take down inappropriate content and confirm they understand the policy. Workers with access to confidential info need tighter rules about sharing.