It’s evident that the digital age is well upon us in 2018, with over 2 and a half billion people across the world using social media every day. Although most people associate social media with something people do in their spare time, it’s vital for businesses to realise its many benefits and address its use in-house – this involves providing employees with social media regulations.
There are two different types of social media policy to cover, we’ve collaborated with print management software providers United Carlton to give you the full guide to what businesses must include in their social media policies for it to be effective.
Types of social media policy
It’s important that businesses make their employees aware of the two different types of social media policy. You will need two social media policies for business; one for your brand and one for your employees – these are similar in structure but are targeted differently. It’s vital for businesses to ensure that their social media policy is enforced with strict measures in place so that the company is never in a vulnerable position. In this fast-paced digital world, it’s always a good idea for business owners to keep on top of the changes by constantly reviewing their policies and making any necessary adjustments that will continue to put the best interests of the company first.
What rules should you be following?
This section will cover your businesses code of conduct and outline the expectations you have for your employees in terms of the way that they behave on social media. If a person has their place of work tagged in their public profile on social media and do not have a private profile, they are effectively representing their company to a wide public audience. This means that certain behaviours such as use of profanities and controversial topics should be avoided as they could potentially damage the reputation of the business.
It’s also vital to let employees know that they are required to keep certain company information confidential. This means that they should not discuss workplace information on any of their personal social media accounts.
When it comes to company social media accounts, such as the company Twitter page or Facebook, it’s good to discuss brand guidelines and consider how you want your company to be represented. This includes how you want employees to respond to brand mentions on social media – including any positive or negative feedback. It is also important to explain how you would like your employees to talk about your products or services.
Your responsibilities
You should also outline different responsibilities and roles across the various social media platforms. This may vary, as each platform will have their own needs. Depending on the training and experience of your social media teams, you may need to employ someone who can oversee security and legal concerns, approve posts and create content. In addition, it’s important to clearly outline who can and can’t use the company social media accounts within the business.
Dealing with the legal aspect
To ensure that you’re following all legal regulations, it’s key that you address any legal risks in your company social media policy. When it comes to anything posted online, you will need to ensure that you include sources– for example, you shouldn’t re-use images or articles for your own business gain without crediting the source. Outlining what can and can’t be shared online is also important, which is why it’s a good idea to have everything approved by a senior member of staff.
Employees should also follow guidelines when commenting on anything related to the business online – they should ensure that they highlight that the views they express are their own and not those of the company.
Security measures
As the world continues to evolve towards more digital means of business communication, there is a growing potential for cyber risks. This means that businesses should be aware of and know how to deal with any potential security threats. To reduce the risk of ransomware attacks and email scams, companies should create strong, secure passwords and stay clear of spam emails, scam websites and any malware threats. Employees should also be trained on how to respond if a security breach does happen.
It’s important for all companies to look into evaluating their social media policy in order to establish boundaries and maintain a trusted relationship with their employees. Following these guidelines will ensure that your business thrives on social media and is not negatively impacted by any of the potential risk factors.
You must be logged in to post a comment.