Nobody wants to go through a PR crisis because someone retorted with a “no u” to a troll. Or documents relating to a still-in-the-works-and-totally-secret social media campaign. There are 4 security levels, so Planable offers lots of flexibility. We’re not going to get into any legalese, that’s a subject for another article. So think about it this way — social media guidelines are instructive, while social media policies are mandatory. Social media guidelines and social media style guides are often used interchangeably.
By creating a social media policy that addresses both privacy and security concerns, employers and employees can coexist online with a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities. This helps to mitigate risks for both parties and promotes a safe, professional, and ethical social media presence. For companies, maintaining a positive online image means encouraging employees to use social media in a way that aligns with company values without stifling personal expression. One key to balancing this relationship is understanding the potential impact that personal posts can have on professional life.
It facilitates engagement with stakeholders, raises awareness of causes, and strengthens an organisation’s presence. The guidelines for personal use of social media are not intended to and do not limit your right to engage in protected concerted activities related to terms and conditions of employment. Storing your social media images and videos in a central location, like an asset library, can help ensure your visuals are cohesive and brand-aligned. Sprout’s Asset Library is a built-in feature catalogs your brand’s inventory of visuals. Some brands use a specific format for sharing links, status updates or other types of posts. For instance, X posts might follow a headline, link and hashtag format.
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Effective social media guidelines are the backbone of a strong, cohesive brand presence online. By clearly defining your tone, content strategy, engagement protocols, privacy measures, and crisis management plans, you can protect your brand and build a loyal following. Remember, these guidelines are not set in stone; they should evolve with your brand and the ever-changing social media landscape. The purpose of this policy is to share guidelines for posting on social media sites. Therefore, there are certain minimal standards we require all employees to adhere to when sharing content online. This policy ensures a balanced approach that safeguards the company while respecting employees’ freedom to express themselves responsibly online.
Social Media Compliance Policy Examples
For example, Cadbury ensures a consistent color palette in all their images and videos to maintain their brand image. No other chocolate brand would dare use this shade of purple because Cadbury has claimed it as its own. Determine the amount of time that your employees are allowed to include a campaign hashtag or the ideal number of hashtags that can be used with a single post. Since social media allows you to interact more personally, there are more chances that your employees will hand out more information than they should or fall prey to an internet troll.
For example, an employee might post a political opinion that offends minorities, leading to backlash against the company. That’s where a social media policy comes into place, as it sets guidelines for how social media should be used in a company. This approach helps prevent resentment, encourages compliance, and reinforces the importance of responsible social media use in the workplace. Social media misconduct can take many forms, ranging from minor infractions to serious breaches of company policies. While some violations may be unintentional, others could be deliberate acts that harm the company’s reputation or compromise its security. Identifying and categorizing these behaviors is critical for enforcing a consistent and fair policy.
The policy should also specify who is allowed to post as representatives of the company and evolve as the company grows. It’s important to have this document in place to prevent incidents that can’t be undone. Ensure your security settings are maximized and include two-step verification if available by the platform. In order for a Facebook account to operate in an official capacity, the account must be registered and labeled as a “government organization” account. The use of a Facebook profile, community or group page for official purposes would violate the government’s terms of service agreement with Facebook. Private groups, accounts or feeds will NOT be registered on the Army Social Media Directory, the Defense.gov registry and U.S.
Developing Your Social Media Policy
A brand that failed to update its policy with TikTok-specific guidelines might find itself grappling with challenges unique to the platform or missing out on its potential entirely. The digital world is always evolving, with new social media platforms sprouting up and trends changing faster than one can tweet. Basing your policy solely on today’s landscape, without an eye to the future, can leave gaping holes in your guidelines.
To prevent these situations and help employees always feel confident on social media, provide a list of specific “dos” and “don’ts.” Planable’s collaboration-centric design is the right fit for teams that want to streamline communication and collaboration. Sign up to Planable, connect your social page, create your posts, and invite your team to leave feedback. Everybody can leave their thoughts in the comments right next to the post.
It’s “home to all the resources needed to understand the Sprout brand, express it creatively and inspire meaningful customer experiences.” It’s detailed and robust while still easy to navigate and digest. If your company is in a competitive industry, there’s a chance that your audience will mention them to you, or they might even engage directly with your brand. When creating branded hashtags, think about the intent and the channel. Use your basic branded hashtag on an ongoing basis to build familiarity with your audience. Home goods brand Serena and Lily use their branded hashtag (#SerenaAndLily) in practically every Instagram post.
Choose which dictionary you’ll use for your social content and make sure all relevant team members have access to an online subscription. Establish a review process to update guidelines regularly in response to platform changes, emerging risks, and organisational needs. You don’t have to have a predetermined response for every question or comment, but having a few saved replies for different categories can serve as a template for your social team. This remote storage is excellent for companies with distributed teams. Team members can go straight to the asset library within Sprout and publish directly from there.
Social media guidelines are instructions and recommendations for how people connected to a company should represent themselves – and the company – on social media. If violations are decreasing over time, it means the policy is being understood and followed. On the other hand, a spike in issues could signal the need for a refresher training or clearer guidelines. Leadership and managers should model the behavior outlined in the Social Media Policy. When employees see top executives using social media responsibly and positively, it reinforces the importance of the policy and encourages everyone to follow suit.
From snapping selfies with friends to tagging favorite brands in our Stories, social media has become a large part of our everyday lives. Consumers expect brands to have an active online presence and the ability to answer any questions they have fast. You can create a dynamic policy that will evolve with periodic changes by incorporating legal considerations, employee feedback, and guidelines for using visuals and AI tools.
As an employee, how you use social media can have a significant impact on your personal brand, your colleagues, and the company you work for. It’s essential to be mindful of how your online presence reflects not only your personal values but also the organization you represent. Below are detailed guidelines for employees to help navigate social media use responsibly and professionally. However, social media also introduces risks to the workplace environment. Employees may unintentionally share sensitive or confidential information, post content that reflects poorly on the company, or engage in negative interactions online. Dell’s social media guidelines focus heavily on disclosure and information protection.