Social Media Policy

By Jon Lee Andersen

Oct 2009

MEMO TO: PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: OUR EMPLOYEES ARE TALKING,
WE NEED A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Not only is social media here, it is expanding with millions of people worldwide interacting in ways that we never even dreamed about a short time ago. Whether management knows it or not, employees in almost all companies are active in social media, and probably the company should be too. By social media, this article is dealing with blogs, websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter and other such media outlets. Today, an alert owner or manager cannot avoid the impact of social media, because the conversations are happening. He or she needs to determine how to influence its use and effects. At a minimum, this means developing a Social Media Policy for the company.

One of the first steps in developing a Social Media Policy is to determine what the company’s relationship with social media is going to be. Questions such as: Will social media be used to drive brand recognition? Will it be used to engage customers and employees in dialogs? Will employees’ use of social media be monitored?

However these questions are answered, there are a few matters that should be a part of any Social Media Policy. For example:

• The requirement to always protect confidential and proprietary company information. You just don’t give out the Coca-Cola secret formula or the recipe for McDonald’s special sauce in a blog or in a dialog with one of the company’s customers. Also, avoid any comments on litigation or legal matters in which the company may be involved. Likewise for anything that may be considered a crisis matter or non-released financial information. Remember that even seemingly anonymous comments or posts can probably be traced back to the company’s IP address.
• The requirement to always respect and obey the law with respect to copyrights, trademarks and privacy. Private and personal information about co-workers should never be found online. Follow the company’s customer privacy rules to the letter. And to give people proper credit for their work.
• Before writing about the company’s competition be sure that to have accurate facts, a diplomatic style and appropriate permission.
• Always be transparent, i.e. identify yourself with your real name and say that you work for the company. Be clear about your role and if you have a vested interest in a certain position, say so. Always remember that you are responsible for what you write!

There are numerous other matters that may be addressed or covered in a company’s Social Media Policy, such as:

o The use of common sense and common courtesy in all postings and writings. This is especially pertinent in dialog situations with customers.
o Limiting blogging or writing to and employee’s area of expertise where the employee can provide his individual perspective on matters with some authority.
o Requiring the exercise good judgment in postings and blogs. No permitting comments that are defamatory, inflammatory or demeaning. Just as a good carpenter measures twice before cutting, a good blogger should think twice before hitting SEND.
o Whether and to what extent employees’ participation in social media should be monitored.
o What type of training with respect to social media should employees receive?
o Should a certain employee or team of employees be responsible for the company’s public image and manage the company’s social media efforts?

Summed up poetically:

When the Chief discovered the post
It left him as pale as a ghost
And though tempers flared
They were unprepared
To deliver a stinging riposte