#Share by Caroline K. Muñoz & Natalie T. Wood

Author:Caroline K. Muñoz & Natalie T. Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Business, Business Communication, Social Media
ISBN: 9781631574429
Publisher: Business Expert Press

What Is a Social Media Policy and Why Do We Need One?

A social media policy is a code of conduct developed and approved by senior management. The purpose of a social media policy is to communicate how the company views social media, and how they will use it in a business context. Guidelines contained within the policy provide direction on how to use social media. These guidelines are often created based on a set of best practices. They protect the company, company employees, and their clients from public relations and legal crises and help the company present and maintain a positive and consistent brand identity. A well-written set of guidelines should also empower employees, providing them with the confidence they need to utilize social media effectively.

A typical policy will, at a minimum, include information on the social platforms the company has approved for business use, who is authorized to speak on behalf of the company, what content may or may not be posted, how to share content, and general rules of engagement.

For the most part, a social media policy is about educating employees to simply use common sense when using social media. But, as a wise person once said, common sense is not so common. A social media fiasco, where a company or an employee posts a cringe-worthy or litigious message on social media, is not that uncommon. As the following examples illustrate, many of these litigious actions were completed by employees who, in many instances, were not aware that what they were doing was wrong.

The Content Factory, a digital PR, social media, and content-marketing company, wrote a blog post for a client. Included in the blog entry was a photograph they obtained from the Web (without permission). Three months after the blog was posted, the client received a formal complaint letter, revealing they were being sued for $8,000 for using the photo. The Content Factory settled for $3,000 (DePhillips 2014).

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