Mashable brought up a very interesting question as the topic of one of their articles yesterday, Should Your Company Have a Social Media Policy? Numerous companies are encouraging their employees to participate in social media to promote their products and services. But how do you know that their activity is conducted in a professional and appropriate manner? You want your business and employees seen in the best way possible. That’s where written policies would come in handy.
I can see the importance of setting rules and guidelines for employee conduct on social media sites. Training employees on positive social marketing practices will only improve your company’s online presence. Do you currently have any policies for how your employees promote your business online? If not, will you be putting social media policies in place anytime soon?
I believe they must! Social media has already proven their worth and even the chaos it may bring if misused.
Arthur:
I agree — without policies, chaos could very quickly reign. And no company can afford that.
VP
http://www.verifyprotectblog.com
Yes. Thanks VP.
I never and will never forget this: “An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure!”
Hey Amanda,
I’m willing to bet that less than 10% of companies, small or large, have a social media policy. I have a business writing coach friend, Dr. Julie Miller at Business Writing That Counts (link below in case her site offers any pointers) who has been helping companies create compliance-type policies for email and she’s got all the work she can handle!! Social media guidelines would be wise, but I can’t imagine many have done it. It would be a great roundup to say here are ten companies that have made their soc media guidelines available….
TJ
http://www.businesswritingthatcounts.com
The real question is: How do you trust your employees and colleagues? Do you have a special policy what you are allowed to say in the canteen or at the water cooler?
Is it not the best way to cover the social media policy under the general communication strategy and guideline for how you communication internally and externally?
How about some common sense?!
Yes, Martin that is a big, challenging question. I believe that trait to be able to trust your employees should be worked out by entrepreneurs. Remember, our employees are very important to our business. We have to delegate tasks when business is growing. Do we have other choice Martin?
Arthur,
Thanks for your comment. No, I don’t we really have so many other things to pick except starting to build the “speed of trust” as Mr. Covey is talking about. And the most important player in this game is the individual.