The use of social media has evolved over the years to become an essential part of our personal and professional lives. Businesses have been quick to leverage its power to connect with current and potential customers, recruit employees, build brand awareness and promote their products and services. Encouraging employees to use social media and to become powerful brand advocates can help boost brand awareness too.
Likewise, negative or controversial posts can harm a business’s reputation and in the worst case, create legal liabilities. It’s therefore crucial that clear guidelines are in place to help employees navigate social media in ways that are beneficial to them and their employer.
A good social media policy will:
- Safeguard the business’s brand reputation.
Social media has the power to make or break a brand in a matter of minutes. A social media policy can help mitigate risks such as the spread of misinformation, inappropriate content, or negative comments that can harm the business’s reputation. The policy sets guidelines for employees to follow such as avoiding controversial topics, not disclosing confidential information, and being respectful and professional in their interactions.
- Ensure compliance.
Like any other aspect of a business, social media is subject to laws and regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can result in fines, legal action and damage to the business’s reputation. A social media policy can help ensure that employees are aware of the regulations and are following best practices.
- Empower your employees.
Providing employees with clear guidelines and expectations through a social media policy gives them the confidence to use social media in ways that benefits them and the business. Confident employees who are comfortable using social media are engaging, which can increase positive online sentiment for the business.
- Maintain privacy and confidentiality.
A well-drafted social media policy can play a crucial role in safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of the business, employees and its clients alike. The policy can prevent employees from sharing sensitive information such as client information, business plans, internal communications, or financial and proprietary information. Social media policies can also provide steps on how employees should handle sensitive information that has been unintentionally shared on social media and how to report such incidents.
How can Orchard help?
The knowledgeable team at Orchard can help to create a social media policy that works for your business. By analysing your business’s social media presence and identifying any potential risks and opportunities we can help to minimise risk to your reputation. We can also conduct research on best practices and industry standards for social media policies to ensure that the business’s policy aligns with current trends and legal requirements.