Developing SM strategy: 5 key points – OLJ

Listening
(Source: Getty images)

Much is written about the right and wrong ‘way’ to construct or develop a Social Media policy for individuals, employees, employers and organisations.

Presentation from NSPRA Ohio 2010 Social Media Conferenceoffers statistics stating as “one-third of employees surveyed never consider what their boss or customers might think before posting material online” (Deloitte Ethics & Workplace Survey). Whilst this may be a 2010 survey-finding, mistrust in employees discourages proactive sharing of employer based news, product or service. Developing policies which inherently distrust employees cannot account for informal, positive reference to a company, sole-proprietorship, organisation or charity.

The new way of “listening” to the conversation and the high risk strategy: “personal voice, high engagement, integration on multiple levels, open-minded administration” (Arendt, A. M., 2009) may, or may not come to pass positively; eventuality of the best laid plans may fall asunder. However, a user-generated Web 2.0 demands participation: because like it or not it is happening (ibid).

Therefore, if the key is to participate, the following 5 key points are worth considering when developing a SM policy:

1	Participate	§ Contribute § Collaborate § Curate § Listen
2	Listen	§ What are others (users) saying about you? § Where are these conversations being held? § Does my organisation need to moderate? § Does my organisation respect freedom of speech/freedom of information? § How can my organisation help an identified need?
3	Respond	§ Timely and useful response § Acknowledge ‘others’ contribution § Encourage community
4	Protect	§ Vigilance (security, privacy, content relevance) § IP & reputation § Legal § User privacy & security management § Personnel management § Responsibility management
5	Stay current	§ Flexibility of participation § Remain up-to-date with evolving technologies § Look, listen & intuit what is happening

As “digital strategists” (Lauby, S., 2009) it is not so much about the business as it is about connecting the offers of the business with a socially networked, anecdotally, shrinking world; the key – being present, participating , “bringing and providing” (ibid) value to, and within, SN environs. In a non-exclusive context, allowing the policy the flexibility to evolve: with technologies, personalities and perceptions.

Social Media (SM) is not simply a communications issue; it is an employer issue, a cultural and social issue, a legal issue, a productivity issue and a personal issue. Behaviours – not platforms and technologies – formulate, and express, our SM involvement. Therefore, the ideology of SM, encompasses creation, collaboration, promotion, commentary, recommendation, connection and aggregation (curation) of online sharable presentation and representation.

It is everyone’s Internet …..

Suse

REFERENCES

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Arendt, A.M. (2009). Social Media Tools and the Policies Associated with Them, Best Practices in Policy Management Conference. Utah Valley University, November. Complete paper and Powerpoint slides availablehttp://works.bepress.com/anne_arendt/7 Essential reading for all people working in education institutions, esp. colleges/universities

Lauby, S. (2009) Should Your Company Have a Social Media Policy? Mashable, 27 April [blog] http://mashable.com/2009/04/27/social-media-policy/

Lauby, S. (2009) 10 Must-Haves for Your Social Media Policy, Mashable, 6 February [blog] http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/social-media-policy-musts/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Anderson, J. (2009). Social Media Policies & Museums, Indianapolis Museum of Art blog (8 April).

Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Europe. (2009). CIPR Social Media Guidelines (January). http://www.cipr.co.uk/socialmedia/

David Fleet’s Social Media Policies E-book (2009). Available http://www.slideshare.net/davefleet/social-media-policies-ebook

Ellyssa Kroski’s School Library Journal article Should Your Library Have a Social Media Policy? (1 October 2009)

Falls, J. (2010. What Every Company Should Know About Social Media Policy, 3 February [blog] http://socialmediatoday.com/school/171854

Lauby, S. (2009) 10 Must-Haves for Your Social Media Policy, Mashable, 6 February [blog] http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/social-media-policy-musts/

Lauby, S. (2009) Should Your Company Have a Social Media Policy? Mashable, 27 April [blog] http://mashable.com/2009/04/27/social-media-policy/