Policy – a rather negative word, isn’t it? It reminds us of things like police, policing, politics etc. – not necessarily issues that come with warm feelings.

Still, you might have a number of policies in place within your organisation. Some of them are mandatory and form a part of each working contract, others were written out of necessity, a few because of events that happened and that need to be avoided in the future.

And now, according to public opinion, you need another one: A Social Media Policy.

Do you really need one? Oh, yes, you do!

The truth is, there are no written rules of the game “Social Media”. The rules are actually made while playing. They change quickly and they are not always logical. And if you take a break from playing, be aware that there might be different rules once you re-join.

Even though, there is a number of online resources where you can download draft versions, study best practices and even use policy-generators, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution.

Whether you already do have a policy in place or you need to create one, have a look at the following tips. They are designed to help you get the most out of your Social Media activities – of which your policy is an important part:

 

1.    Go through your Social Media strategy and familiarise yourself with it even more.

If you do not have a strategy, this is the time to write one! It can be very pragmatic and simple and can fit on a napkin. However, it should be clear and you really should stick to it.

2.   Define the reason for your policy.

Do you intend to keep control about any information that leaves your company? Or would you like to encourage your staff to play a role in shaping your reputation and in building your brand? Make sure you keep the balance right. My recommendation: Put at least 51 % on the “encouraging your staff” side of the scales.

3.   Create a system that includes official empowerments.

Who can blog, who may post, what do these people need to know in order to do a great job, which training do they need, what regular information should they get, who oversees all Social Media activities, what needs to be done when people leave their job etc.?

4.   Find a way to monitor your online reputation.

This is not so much about what your authorised staff is saying. It is more about learning what people share about you. Start with simple tools such as running searches on Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, set up some Google alerts with your company name, do check your Facebook insights etc. Anything you find, by the way, can be used as a new post on your sites.

In addition, there are more and more tools that help you monitoring your Social Media success and your online reputation. One software provider I randomly picked is Cytrap Labs. For hotels that somehow get reviewed all over, there are some very advanced providers of online management tools such as ReviewPro or TrustYou.

5.   Do your research and have a look at what other companies do.

Intel is mostly mentioned when people talk about good examples. They made their Social Media guidelines public, and you can find them here. Turn to this database by Chris Boudreaux to find even more examples.

6.   Write your policy and Keep It Short & Simple (KISS).

Not all of your staff knows what tweeting, blogging, apps, etc. mean. So make sure you do use expressions that people understand.  Take your time to shorten the policy. And then go through it again and shorten it even further!

7.   Avoid negative words such as don’t, no, not, never etc. Use positive phrases such as: do, you may, make sure, always.

The human brain does not recognize negations. So when you write: “Do not enter”, the brain automatically eliminates the “not”, and people feel a desire to enter. Instead, write what people may, can and should do. Tell people what you expect them to do such as: “When engaging in a discussion on Facebook, always keep a professional tone of voice. Remember, even on the Internet you are an employee of our company.”

8.   Make it entertaining and funny.

While you want to have a proper written copy of the policy that people can refer to, use a visual, entertaining, funny, emotional version for communicating it to your staff. People remember pictures much better than written words. You can do some slides, a huge poster, or even a video. Have a look at this one from the Department of Justice, Victoria (Australia). Pretty cool, isn’t it?

9.   Review it regularly.

As you know, the rules of the game change, new players join, others leave. Your internal processes might change, and responsibilities move. So make sure you review your policy regularly and keep all people informed. It serves as a reminder for your staff to talk about you online, actually.

10. And finally: Find a better word than “policy” for it.

Use: guideline, rules of the game, program, advice, directions, recommendations etc. Anything that makes it feel more like a helpful tool than a list of bans. Remember: you want your employees to talk nicely about you.

 

If you neither have time nor inspiration to create your Social Media Guidelines, or you want some fresh approach, get in touch.

 

And if you feel like engaging and commenting on this post, share your personal tips or even a link to your own policy, you can do it in the comments. Go ahead!