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It still makes companies nervous to allow employees to use social media — at all — but particularly on behalf of the company. What helps, and is often the first stage to get through before a company is ready to engage on the social web, is for the company to draft and adopt a social media policy.
Personally, I don’t believe in social media policies – I think you can have employee codes of conduct in general and address specifically what your expectations are for employee conduct online as well as off, but I don’t believe a company should or can successfully dictate what an employee does online or even fully monitor the employee’s online activity (unless that’s how you want to spend all your time.) Read Five Reasons Why Your Company Doesn’t Need a Social Media Policy if that’s where you’re leaning — if not, read on!
Nevertheless, many industries, fields, practices, firms, companies, organizations, etc. require the social web and its staff members’ use of it addressed and I am here to help.
Five Elements of a Successful Social Media Policy
- Be clear about your expectations. If you want employees to use specific platforms on behalf of the company, tell them what they are and how those tools should be used.
- Provide social media training. Most employees will use social media for personal use and they will do so on company time. Knowing that, decide how you can turn that personal time into a benefit for your organization, and provide tips to allow employees to have social media success on your behalf.
- Post the “DON’T” list where every employee has access to it, can refer to it and acknowledge receipt. This is the list of items the staff must not disclose about the company. Everyone is entitled to some privacy; make sure the employees understand what the company holds sacred.
- Write it in language that adapts. As soon as you do a final edit on your social media policy a new platform will be released (FourSquare and Twitter did not exist when I was writing the first policies for clients). Don’t make the policy so specific to platforms or tools that it’s outdated the minute it is published. Remember that this policy is about conduct in communications — on and offline — and write it that way.
- State the consequences of bad behavior. If you’re serious about it, you’re going to have to follow through. I recommend a structure not unlike an attendance policy with a “three strikes and you’re out” clause.
Photo credit: Alexander Boden
The question of how often to post — to a blog, to Facebook, to Twitter — is frequently asked. Those new to blogging don’t always fully understand the commitment needed for social media engagement and often think blogging every day will be “no big deal.”
Ha!
More typically, people face blogging for business with a more realistic sense of dread. Is once a month OK, they ask hopefully. Can we tweet three times a week? How about Facebook? How often do we have to post something there?
The very nature of that question, the tone, is disheartening; “how often do we have to . . . “
I generally try not to answer a question with a question — it’s poor form and all that — but here, it’s appropriate.
How successful do you want to be?
There’s a lot of internet sound with the multiplication of platforms and steady increase of users. To stay in the search game, good, thoughtful content, frequently published and shared with additional unique lead-in content is critical. Auto posting across platforms is possible, but making sure you’re treating fans, followers and friends as such. These are the people who have voluntarily opted in to your content. Provide value to them and make them feel special.
So how often should we post, you ask, still, you ever-persistent people!
Minimum goals:
- Blog 3x a week
- Facebook 12x a week
- Twitter 24x a week
Give that formula a whirl and let me know if you see your traffic increase (you will; I just like to hear it.)
I’m working along, doing what I do, minding my business, and then I see this:
Best. Endorsement. Ever.
Also, before you get offended, the slang definition of “douche” is less offense-making than the non-slang, so consider: “The term refers to a person, usually male, with a variety of negative qualities, specifically arrogance and engaging in obnoxious and/or irritating actions without malicious intent.”
I do, here on Change the Conversation, try to redirect acts of douche-baggery when I encounter them.
Thanks, Dwight, for the recognition.