Social media has become an integral part of marketing businesses. It’s a way to connect and engage with your audience, while being a part of the conversation. It helps build community, brand awareness, and your reputation. While employees can be valuable online brand ambassadors, it’s important to provide social media guidelines for your employees.
- Transparency. Employees who use social media to communicate about your organization should be clear that they’re speaking for themselves and not in any way on behalf of the company.
- Confidentiality. Let employees know they shouldn’t discuss or reveal confidential or proprietary company information.
- Photographs. Employees shouldn’t post any pictures that would constitute an invasion of privacy or harassment. Employees should exercise good judgment and discretion in determining whether to post photographs of other individuals (including coworkers) on social media. It’s recommended they ask for permission.
- Quality matters. Encourage employees to use good judgment and strive for accuracy in communications, as errors and omissions could reflect poorly on your company and may result in liability issues.
- Expertise and advice. Suggest that employees shouldn’t offer advice on legal matters. Recommend they only speak about issues which they have knowledge.
- Copyright. Let employees know they should respect copyright, trademark, and similar laws and they should use such protected information in compliance with applicable legal standards. Use of the organization’s logos, marks, or other protected information or property without authorization is prohibited.
- “Friending”. Ask that employees use discretion and good judgment regarding inviting colleagues, and responding to invitations from colleagues, to join social networks or become “friends” and when making recommendations or referrals to others about colleagues. As among peers, while feelings of inclusion can have positive effects on working relationships, the corollary feelings of exclusion can be painful and counterproductive.
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