When you consider that every employee has the potential to be a brand ambassador, providing them with some guidelines is a smart move. Without them, you could have staff creating their content, sharing unapproved copy, violating branding guidelines, and more.
Sharing guidance is your company’s way of providing everyone on the team with the same tools to help them hype your brand positively, inclusively, and respectfully.
Nine Reasons
Hootsuite provided nine reasons why social media guidelines are important for any company, including:
- Empower your employees to engage positively on their social accounts.
- Educate on social media best practices.
- Encourage employees to follow your official accounts or use official hashtags.
- Distribute your company’s social media strategy.
- Introduce employees to helpful third-party tools and resources, such as Hootsuite’s social media dashboard or Hootsuite Academy training.
- Protect your employees from social harassment.
- Safeguard your company from cybersecurity risks.
- Clarify what information is OK to share, and what is a violation of confidentiality.
- Boost your brand’s reputation on social media
In addition to employees, share your guidelines with any third parties assisting your company in its social media efforts, including social media and marketing contractors, social media advertising, and Google Ads vendors, corporate partners, and influencers.
What if I don’t have guidelines?
Without best practices, you run the risk of rogue activity without recourse. It can also prevent you from benefiting from employee content. HootSuite says, “An enthusiastic team member, armed with social guidelines and feeling confident about what they’re allowed to say, can become a powerful ambassador for your brand.”
Need a Template?
Download the Social Media Guidelines Template to help you formulate a plan.
If you need help writing your social media guidelines, give me a call.