Most Social Media Policies Aren’t Written for Employees

Most social media policies are written for HR and legal departments, “CYA” documents meant to protect the company and its managers.

What they could be, but aren’t:

1. Useful guides to online engagement

2. Effective navigation around social media pitfalls

3. Fun to read

4. Encouraging

So what’s a social media advocate to do? First, consider that trying to persuade the policy writers to change policy language is like trying to weave ropes from sand. HR folks and attorneys are charged with risk mitigation, and this is a valuable contribution to keeping your company in business (and your paychecks coming regularly). Accept it. And then get to work crafting social media guidelines.

Your guidelines are internal communication, not legal policy, and thus can be creative, fun and effective at doing all the things your policy doesn’t. Boil your policy down to the bare essentials and then spice them up and sprinkle them with sugar. Use simple language. Include “dos and don’ts” and images to illustrate. Make them – gasp – funny. Show employees why they don’t want to reveal company secrets on Facebook and tweet about their cubemates’ hygiene issues. Educate, enlighten and encourage.

Policies are scary. Guidelines are friendly. Vive la difference!