What is a Social Media Policy and

Does My Company Need One?

Who We Are

Amanda O’BrienVP of Marketingamanda@hallme.com

Hall Web Serviceswww.hallme.comwww.hallme.com/blog

• 10+ Years in Business• Online Suite of Tools

Got Questions?

• Use GoToWebinar “Ask a Question”• Twitter with @hall_web

About You• You participate in social media

• Your employees participate in social media

• You are or want to market your business with social media

• You want to make sure you are covered

About this webinar• Explain what a social media policy is

• Why you may need one

• How you can create one

• Resources to get you started

http://www.manpower.com/investors/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=440609

75% of companies worldwide who are using social media say they do NOT have a policy

– Manpower Inc.

“Wait and see” approach is dangerous

What is a social media policy?• What the company will and will not do online

• What your employees can and cannot do online

• What the public can and cannot do with your content online

• Protects the organization

• Empowers your employees

Who should be involved?• Senior management

• Marketing

• IT

• Human Resources

• Lawyer

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/colleen-lane/4523323053/

Why a Social Media Policy is Necessary?Alabama NBC managers suspended after…

Two Dominos employees arrested for felony charges after disgusting YouTube video…

CNN Drops Editor After Hezbollah Comments

Kevin,Thanks for letting us know--hope everything is ok in New York. (cool wand)Cheers,PCD

Not Dominos, CNN?

Protect Your Business and Brand

• What kind of activity is acceptable and what isn’t

• Identify the risks

• How do you respond? Who responds?

• Consistent messaging

• Content moderation and response

• Digital posts are forever

Protect Your Employees

• Let them know what is expected

• More participation when they know

• Usage during work

• Training, training, training

• Divulging company info

• The internet is forever

• Consequences

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmarkham/3819720909/

• Do you have a current communications policy?

• Tie your social media policy in with existing policies• Contract compliance• Confidentiality• Defamation• Intellectual property

•Technology considerations• Passwords, logins, plugins, security updates

Where do I start?

• Creating a new policy

• Establish reasonable guidelines

• What will your company do and what will you not do?

• What can your employees do and what can they not do?

• Who is going to represent your company?

• Understand copyrights and fair use (creative commons)

• Examine the ‘what ifs’ – damage control

• Include reasonable standards for personal use

– Use should not interfere with job

– Use should not violate company policies

Where Do I Start?

IBM Social Computing Guidelines

• Know the IBM Business Conduct Guidelines

• Be who you are

• Speak in the first person

• Use a disclaimer

• Add value

• Don’t forget your day job

• http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html

Started in 2005 for IBMers who wanted to blog

Coca Cola

1. Be Certified in the Social Media Certification Program.

2. Follow our Code of Business Conduct and all other Company policies.

3. Be mindful that you are representing the Company.

4. Fully disclose your affiliation with the Company.

5. Keep records.

6. When in doubt, do not post.

7. Give credit where credit is due and don’t violate others’ rights.

8. Be responsible to your work.

9. Remember that your local posts can have global significance.

10. Know that the Internet is permanent.

10 principles for online spokespeople.

• Ask your lawyer

• Don’t make this more complicated than it is

• Training, training, training

• Conversations first, policies second

Advice

Learn More!• Vision Blog - http://www.hallme.com/blog

• Dave Fleet ebook - http://davefleet.com/2009/10/corporate-social-media-policies-ebook/

• Auto create a policy - http://socialmedia.policytool.net

• 57 Social Media Policy examples and resources

• http://www.socialmediatoday.com/davefleet/151761/57-social-media-policy-examples-and-resources

• Interview with a (very smart) lawyer about Social Media –

http://www.hallme.com/blog/interview-with-a-very-smart-lawyer/

• Webinars – Every Tuesday at 2PM EST http://www.hallme.com/webinars

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