Creating social media policies

As social media continues to become more mainstream, the chances that company employees will use these online tools for personal and professional purposes are high. If staff are encouraged to be brand representatives, using the social web to help grow a company and engage with customers, then lines could be unknowingly crossed. A social media policy can set the foundation for expectations, empower employees to tweet or blog without fear, reward social media problem-solving, and educate staff on things to avoid in both personal and professional status updates. It is smart business to have a social media policy and some of the biggest brands have already paved the way and published policies that others can emulate. (Read the article 3 Great Social Media Policies to Steal From at Open Forum online.)