Having a social media policy in place is the new normal for companies and organizations and for good reason. Social media is the largest platform available for users to interact with brands, products, companies, and more. According to Statista.com, the number of active users in millions for Facebook is 1,590; Instagram, 400; and Twitter, 320 as of 2016.
While most companies and organizations understand the importance of social media and its importance, social media is still new territory for many. A lot of effort and focus goes into producing new and relevant content to attract audiences, generate traffic and draw attention to their product/brand/company and more. However, producing a social media policy for conduct is often neglected. Social media has user counts in the millions for good reason. Many people love having content catered to them and sharing pieces of themselves with the world. Should a company be policing its employees’ and stakeholders’ personal profiles?
The answer is yes…to a point.
Policing is too strong a word. Ironically, in 2015, a controversial post made by a Newark police officer had cost him his job. Having a conduct policy is a great first step in establishing guidelines and preventing these situations from happening. A lot of effort goes into brand building on social media. Employees and affiliates can unintentionally cause some damage. While you can’t prevent someone from posting, tweeting, etc., anything they want, you can make them think twice before doing so, especially when an off-hand comment or “funny” photo can attract unwanted, negative attention.
Where to begin?
Understanding your brand’s voice is key in developing a conduct social media policy. Policies should be adapted according to that voice. Sharing controversial content might be part of a brand’s image, therefore the policy can reflect that. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Answering the following questions will help you get started:
- What is my brand’s tone?
- Is there company information that is sensitive and shouldn’t be public?
- Are there controversial topics that should be avoided in regards to my brand?
- What has the potential to negatively impact my brand?
- Internally, who has the potential to negatively impact my brand?
- Do I have a crisis communications plan in place should something go awry?
- What is my competition doing?
Privacy Protection
Of course, there’s the matter of privacy. Many may find a conduct policy too invasive to implement. Private profiles do exist for users on Facebook and Instagram. Twitter is another story, however, and should be regarded more carefully. With this in mind, you have to consider your employee’s feelings on the matter when making a decision on implementing a policy plan. Let them have a say in what goes in the policy and compromise where possible. It will make employee participation more successful than announcing the policy without their input.
For the most part, conduct on social media is a no-brainer and heavy regulation is not the answer, but guidelines and a policy can help prevent some embarrassing social media blunders from affecting your brand or organization.