Small Business Today Magazine DEC 2014 NOUN INVESTMENTS | Page 26

EDITORIALFEATURE

Why an Effective Social Media

Policy and Checklist are Essential
By Mark Murrah

T

here’s no denying it, social media is an integrated part of the
way we do business today.  For businesses of all sizes, social
media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been proven
to have a great return on investment, not only for marketing
purposes but for a business’s connection with its current and future
customer and clients.  Ford, for example, began marketing its Fiesta
model over a year in advance before entering the US market by
using social media.  The YouTube promotion alone generated 6.5
million views and approximately 50,000 non-Ford drivers requested information about the vehicle.  When the vehicle finally went on
sale, Ford sold more than 10,000 in the first week.

harassment.
• Use plain language.  Are employees allowed to use social media on company property?  Yes or no?
o Property includes physical equipment as well as electronic
information and communication systems.
• If it is on the internet, it is not private.  If an employee uses
company property and violates policy they can and will be
disciplined according to company policy.
• Being an employee means loyalty.  Even if they are using their
personal account they can not post confidential company
information or bad-mouth on social media platforms.  This
would be in violation of their loyalty agreement.
The Internet Doesn’t Forgive and It Never Forgets
o Make it clear that violating their confidentiality agreement in
Despite the obvious benefits of a strong social media presence,
any way, including social media, has serious consequences.
there are inherent risks.  A mistake made on the internet is an es 
pecially detrimental one.  You can’t ever really delete the mistake.  2.      Your employees are a direct representation of your business. 
The illusion of delete buttons and undo functions on the web has The reality is that the people you hire and put your name on are
been debunked, particularly by Twitter.
a reflection of the kind of business you run, at least to your customers and /or clients.  Promote a positive image by:
In 2012, KitchenAid was caught in a Twitter scandal when one
of their employees posted an offensive tweet about President • Prohibiting defamation using social media.
Obama’s late grandmother.  Instead of using their personal handle, • Inform employees they should respect customers, clients,
they used their KitchenAid handle and in Twitter-speak, the embusiness partners, etc. by avoiding offensive postings (i.e. ethployee sent this message:
nic slurs, sexist comments, obscenity, etc.)
• Include post-employment obligations not to denigrate the
“Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad!  ‘She died 3
company or any affiliates.
days b4 he became president.”
• Again, social media harassment policy of fellow employees or
any company affiliates should be consistent with any existing
Although Kitchen Aid attempted damage control by deleting
workplace harassment policies.
the post and apologizing, the post had already been retweeted • Ensure you are not violating employee rights under the First
and gone viral.  This instance is cited as one of the worst social
Amendment, NLRA, or whistleblower laws.
media mistakes in history.  Your business shou ]