In many organizations, rules and regulations aren’t often uttered in the same breath as social media. But for some companies, professional engagement in social networks is a must. It’s a great idea to set clear guidelines for employees to follow whenever they blog, post updates, and interact with other people on different social media channels.
A few days ago, the CreatingSkies team took some time out to sit down and discuss what sort of practices could help a business use social media to the best effect. Here are a few principles we came up with:
- Be professional. Be personable but not exceedingly personal. Represent the company in a way that reflects positively on the organization. Exercise due care in talking about clients and partners.
- Respect others’ opinions. The internet community is composed of individuals with a wide spectrum of opinions. Be courteous and open-minded, and you’ll be accorded the same respect.
- Add value to the social sphere. Share relevant interests and perspectives on your area of expertise. If you’re passionate about exciting new technologies and emerging ways to communicate, pitch in when you learn something interesting in the field.
- Participate, don’t broadcast. Don’t tag all your friends in a Facebook post or photo, and if you #FollowFriday, make your recommendations worthwhile. Meaningful conversations trump announcements any day. Make your online community a place where other people will be keen to dip into the discussion.
- Build relationships. Get to know your colleagues, strike up a bit of banter now and then about your common pursuits. Invite friends and professional contacts to drop in and chat on Facebook, or exchange tweets on Twitter.
- Be positive. If your company advocates a work environment where people can give and receive support, inspiration, and encouragement – this should extend to social media as well.
- Balance transparency with privacy. Use your real name to identify yourself as part of your company. However, be astute and protect your private details as well – know what to disclose and what to keep off the search engines. Remember, the internet has a long memory.
- Be a critical thinker. Confirm facts and verify sources before posting anything. Check if anything is in conflict with internal legal guidelines.
Some organizations have further guidelines that govern crisis situations, public relations, and work policies. Here are a few that are applicable to all kinds of companies:
- Refrain from participating in discussions during what may be considered a crisis situation, and defer on commenting on legal matters. Refer any crisis social media activity to the company’s public relations director. When in doubt, ask. Use disclaimers appropriately.
- Disagree agreeably. When the situation threatens to be explosive, don’t abruptly abandon the discussion. Feel free to ask advice from the PR director first, then clarify your position and extricate yourself politely.
- Respect copyright laws. Cite, link back, and ask permission when needed.
- When talking about a competitor, be tactful, fair, and truthful.
- Don’t let social media get in the way of excelling at work. IBM keeps it short and simple: “Don’t forget your day job.”
Does your organization go by any unique social media practices? Share your thoughts in the comments below.