Social Media Guidelines
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Transcript of Social Media Guidelines
Social Media Guidelines
Eight Simple Steps to Implement For Small and Medium Businesses
Amber Peterson
When your company wants to start practicing social media, guidelines need to be established in order to have a
successful online experience.
Social media is about interacting and exchanging ideas with all previous, current and potential employees and customers. You better believe your competitor will be
looking too.
Guidelines are aimed to provide helpful and practical advice while protecting the contributors and the company. All contributors
have to abide by the guidelines in order share in company social networking. Guidelines should constantly be evolving as new
technology emerges and additionally social networks are
added.
You Are Here To:
LISTEN: Your company needs to listen to customers-find out what people are really saying about your company. Discover who the influencers are, once you do that, you can encourage them to get involved with your network.
CONTRIBUTE: Once you have listened to the conversation it is time to contribute to the conversation. This is a scary process to most, but a rewarding one if done right.
“If you learn to talk, listen, and respond, you’ll master the middle of the funnel.” -Groundswell
If You Choose to ParticipateKeep these in mind:
•Provide unique insight and personal perspective on what is said
•Reply quickly if suitable
•Respect confidentiality
•Remember, everyone has an opinion, if you do not agree with someone’s, be polite
Transparent but Judicious
It is highly encouraged to use your real name, identify your
company, and state your role or position. Your honesty-or
dishonesty-will be immediately noticed in the social media
environment. With that said, transparency does not mean
you need to spell out everything about the company you work
for.
“Once they seem to be getting it, how difficult is it to let them know that it is okay to be
human, without giving away the store, another
way of saying that would be that you don’t
need to divulge company secrets to let people know what is going on within the
company.”-Michael Bailey,
President, Mobasoft LLC
Responsibility
• What you add to the company’s network is ultimately your responsibility
• Know and follow your company’s code of conduct
• It is your responsibility to be accurate, current and complete with all information submitted
• If you make a mistake, always be the first to admit it
• If you update or modify anything, let people know
Conversational
You are engaging in an online conversation, talk to people as
you would in a professional setting. With that said, do use
jargon and business talk, speak in human terms so everything can participate in the conversation.
Do not use street slang; use accurate grammar and complete
sentences. Be consistent with your writing. Do show your
personality by writing in the first person. Keep the post open-
ended so it encourages people to respond.
Give Credit, Take Credit
Respect all trademark, brand, copyright, fair use, financial disclosure
and confidentiality, if you use material owned by other
people properly give reference.
If you publish a blog or any other form of social media, use a disclaimer. Make it clear that those
are your views and opinions. You could say
something along the lines: "The postings on
this site are my own and don't necessarily represent (Your
company) positions, strategies or opinions."
Respect
Do not be afraid to be yourself, but be respectful in doing so. This not only includes the obvious: racial,
gender, age, obscenity, status, etc., but also privacy: religion and politics. When it comes to competitors, do not
defame them in any matter, if you have a disagreement, say it without
insulting. If a competitor has said something to defame your company,
do not lash back, stick to the facts and be honest and polite. Try to avoid
unnecessary arguments, be the bigger person and ignore comments
that affect you.
Value, Interests and Excitement
Your company is a brand, and everything you published reflects that
brand. With that said, there are so many blogs in the social media
environment, how are you going to contribute to make your “brand” stick out? Make it innovative and thought provoking, share the exciting things
that your company is doing and learning. This social communication should help co-workers, customers,
stockholders, and the general public. The communication should about the
company at best and what can be done to improve and satisfy.
If You Pause
There are always consequences to anything you publish. If you
hesitate before you hit the submit button, review what you have said
and make sure it abides by the guidelines. If you are still unsure, share it with your manager or co-workers they are willing to help.
Just make sure that what you submit is something you want your
name attached to. Remember, transparency.
Just Say No to Spam
Stay clear of any sort of spam in your postings, especially spam that might correlate with the company. If you
promote the company in any matter, do not make it into spam. No one likes it, not
even you. Spam could ruin your social media presence and put a bad name on your
company. Be transparent always.
RECAP:If You Follow These Eight Steps, You Will Succeed
-Transparency but Judicious-Responsibility-Conversational-Give Credit, Take Credit-Respect-Value, Interests and Excitement-If You Pause-Just Say No to Spam
References: Giving Credit
First Page: Picture http://www.kokasexton.com/word/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/stockxpertcom_id705679_size1.jpg
Second Page: Picture http://zuluzulu.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/marketing-funnel.gif
Third Page: Picture http://www.lili.org/forlibs/ce/sable/course2/images/cmptrpeopljoin.gif
Fourth Page: Quote http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/05/14/old-media-empower-employees-to-be-brand-champions/
Fifth Page: Picture http://www.daibochiplastic.com/images/corp_res/ist2_4913928_global_team_xxl.jpg
Seventh Page: Picture http://www.popular-blogging.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/manoman.jpg
Eighth Page: Picture http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_avxIZ5dQn28/RiUxQG8hM-I/AAAAAAAAAeo/_iwdkWMsa3c/s400/wom.jpg
Ninth Page: Picture http://www.biojobblog.com/uploads/image/social-media-democracy(1).jpg
Tenth Page: Picture from Flickr-uploaded by tapasparida http://www.flickr.com/photos/tapascreation/2571539880/
Eleventh Page: Picture http://www.uploadsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/spam_tastiera.jpg
*Guideline ideas came from IBM Intel and Dell