Selective Insurance Social
  • Business
  • Auto
  • Home
  • Digital Toolbox
    • LinkedIn Best Practices
  • Flood
    • Hurricane Preparedness
  • Infographics
  • Prep Guides
    • Spring Maintenance Guide
    • Fire Prevention & Safety
    • Winter Preparation For Your Home
    • Winter Preparation For Your Business
    • Winter Preparation For Your Vehicle
    • Hurricane Preparation

Developing A Social Media Policy For Your Business

3/1/2017

 
Share this article:
Developing A Social Media Policy For Your Business
Social media use continues to rise among workforce members, and many are active on the sites during the workday. Sprout Social, a social media analytics service provider, states 73% of businesses do not have a policy to govern social activity despite the fact that 74% of adults use the channels. 

Companies that do not have a policy will experience increased risk in terms of potentially bad press, as well as the threat of hindered productivity from uninhibited social media use among employees. 
​
Here are a couple of ways to ensure your social media policy is on point:
  • Defining a policy: The policy should dictate how employees are allowed to behave on social media, when it is permitted, what sites are off-limits, and any information pertaining to opinionated posts and accounts. In some instances, it will be necessary to require staff to have a statement in their profiles that says something along the lines of "thoughts are my own." Many policies also address what employees are and are not permitted to write about their companies.  
  • Drafting: Leaders must draft a policy that is reviewed by all managers and comprehensively handles all of the moving parts of social media activity among employees. In some industries, legal departments should be involved in analyzing and guiding the policy's various statutes. 
  • Buy-in: CIO magazine, a publication catering to chief information officers, suggests getting buy-in from every department in the business, ensuring employees have a say in the policy's development.
  • Communicate to staff: All employees must be aware of the various statutes. Businesses can hold training and Q&A sessions to ensure everyone is on the same page, which can include a statement of understanding that employees must sign.  
  • Restricting times: CIO magazine recommends allowing employees to use social media at only certain times to ensure productivity is not lost amid uninhibited activity. 
  • Filtering: For a more controlled approach to social media activity management, CIO magazine urges companies to implement a DNS-based filter for their internet. This can effectively allow leaders and managers to block certain websites and content on the network. Filtering can reduce the risk of data breaches and other digital threats, all the while ensuring employees stay on task during the workday.
​Going into the policy writing process cold is not necessary. Hootsuite, a social media management platform, offers examples of successful, real-world policies from major companies that can guide you. 

​Do not wait until a major problem presents itself to write a social media policy - be proactive and protect your company. ​

Related Articles

Social Media Basics for Small Businesses
SOCIAL MEDIA BASICS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 
How to Grow Your Social Media Followers (and Avoid Losing the Ones You Have)
HOW TO GROW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS (AND AVOID LOSING THE ONES YOU HAVE)
10 Twitter Best Practices for Small Businesses
10 TWITTER BEST PRACTICES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES


Comments are closed.
    Connect with us!

    More Digital Toolbox Articles:

    All
    Email
    Mobile
    Social Media
    Website

    Search our library to find informative, shareable articles on business, auto, home and flood topics. 
Picture
© 2019 Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
User Agreement
​Community Guidelines
​
AdChoices
Privacy
Contact
Visit our main web site at: selective.com or follow us:

© 2018 Selective Ins. Group, Inc., Branchville, NJ. Products vary by jurisdiction, terms, and conditions and are provided by Selective Ins. Co. of America and its insurer affiliates.
Details at selective.com/about/affiliated-insurers.aspx
Picture
Picture
  • Business
  • Auto
  • Home
  • Digital Toolbox
    • LinkedIn Best Practices
  • Flood
    • Hurricane Preparedness
  • Infographics
  • Prep Guides
    • Spring Maintenance Guide
    • Fire Prevention & Safety
    • Winter Preparation For Your Home
    • Winter Preparation For Your Business
    • Winter Preparation For Your Vehicle
    • Hurricane Preparation