Alright, how many of you saw social media and your organization and clicked the link without seeing “policy”? That’s okay. So this isn’t going to be the post where you find all the latest trends, get tips or how to get more followers, or find tools that can make you better at taking the next viral video. This is, however, something that can be every bit as beneficial.
Having a social media policy isn’t just for the big companies, every company should have one. With Main Streets in particular it is very important that you have something in place. A social media policy is a very valuable tool that can help avoid confusion and helps protect your brand as an organization.
When you hear “policies” you probably think of a set of rules meant to restrict your actions. However, a good social media policy isn’t about restricting you on social media but rather giving you a set of guidelines to protect not only the company but the individual as well. These guidelines give you a roadmap for success with regards to your social media.
There are some very good social media policies out there, so we took some time to compile our favorites and wanted to share them with you for inspiration.
This is a very good template to start from if you don’t have a policy already in place. While it is basic it does cover the basics and give you something to work with.
For a corporate example, you aren’t going to find much better than this. Adidas has been recognized for their social media policy by many outlets. The reason isn’t overworked with a lot of regulations while still covering the company. This example has good examples and is not filled with any “legalese” that becomes difficult to understand. Overall, if you are looking to update or start from scratch, this is a very good example.
FedEx really delivers with their social media policy. Okay, I promise – no more dad jokes. However, this is a great example of a social media policy that works. Why? Not only does it cover all the important details, but it provides some good Q&A sections which help reinforce the policies and make everything easy to comprehend.
This one is just fun. Not only does it have all the important information that you need in your policy, but it really ties in with their branding and company culture. This is a terrific example of carrying your branding through on internal communications as well.
The bottom line is that any of these would be a great starting point to develop a social media policy, but that’s just the first step. Once you have a policy, then you need to share it. Make sure that your staff and your board of directors has it. Know who is responsible for communicating FOR the organization, especially in those challenging communications.
Yes, you always want your board members, volunteers, and the general community to be sharing your posts, engaging with your pictures, and helping to spread the word about your events and activities. These policies aren’t meant to deter that in any way. They are simply there to make sure that there is some guidance in place for how to talk about the organization and when to engage.
If you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to an agency that does social media marketing and ask them to assist you (we happen to know a great one)!
