Does your business have a formal, written social media policy? If the answer is no, it is time to create one. Nearly everyone uses at least one social media platform, and it is in every company's best interest to have guidelines that protect the company's brand reputation.
Here are six specific steps to take:
1. Conduct a social media audit. Which social platforms is your company using, and why are you using them? An audit of use and who you
are reaching will help you spend resources wisely. For example, if you are a recruiter, you will
probably want to use
LinkedIn, like 90% of recruiters, rather than the 11% of them who use Instagram. Similarly, if your target demographic is people older than 40, you probably should not use Instagram; according to
Sprout Social, Instagram is used by 32% of people aged 18-39.
2. Analyze social media data. Look at the data for each social platform your company is using to assess whether it is accomplishing the business's goals. Metrics to monitor include engagement (the number of direct reactions, comments, shares and sometimes clicks), reach (the unique number of people who see each post or video once) and impression (the number of times content is displayed). The analysis will show whether your target audience is engaging with your messages and provide a road map for changes.
3. Define a brand voice. A company's brand voice is the way its brand purpose and values are communicated to its target audience. Authenticity and transparency are critical components of brand voice; 86% of consumers say these two factors are key in their buying decisions.
4. Create a social media style guide. Such a guide would include:
- A list of all official social media accounts
- The reasons for being on each platform (e.g., LinkedIn for recruiting, Facebook for reaching clients)
- The company's brand voice on each platform, along with examples and any specific language to be used
- Any trademarks, logos or hashtags that should be employed, along with access to approved designs
- Any legal guidelines for what can and cannot be shared on social media
- The process for handling the unexpected; for example, a list of who is responsible for posting on social media if there is a crisis
5. Provide training. Offer employees a training session or two about how the company uses social media as well as the contents of the social media style guide.
6. Monitor frequently. Social media policies and analyses are not a one-and-done endeavor. The changes affecting other areas of business impact social media too. Training will need to be repeated, brand voice may need to be redesigned and the point person for a crisis may change.
Establishing and then protecting your social media identity should not be left to chance. Be thoughtful and remain prepared.