How To Create A Nonprofit Social Media Policy

This also makes for a great document that can be used to educate new staff members in case of turnover. The importance of measuring the effects of your organization’s social media outreach is not in question. Kare, your post is a very thoughtful and thorough addition to this discussion! I found the section “Get Your Facts or the Facts Will Get You” particularly useful in terms of planning a real-time response, so important in online communications. Violations of any of the guidelines listed in this policy will be subject to corrective counseling and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Where necessary, we will advise appropriate officials of any violations of law.

• The first, for all employees/volunteers responsible for posting on behalf of your organization in some fashion.
• It covers your brand’s official channels, as well as how employees use social media, both personally and professionally.
• It’s got the required level of policy information but gives employees agency by encouraging them to think about how their social posts affect their colleagues and employer.
• In reality, there are ways that your board can — and in some cases, should — engage with social media.
• As a team member, you should be mindful to use electronic media, even on your own personal time, responsibly and respectfully to others.
• Terry White has more than 30 experience as a news writer, news producer, copy editor and supervising producer for CNN.

According to Social Media Examiner, it’s important to consider any legal ramifications when constructing these guidelines. Your employees are protected by the law to discuss their workplace conditions with their fellow employees (whether that’s at the water cooler or on Facebook). While you want to avoid potential PR disasters, you don’t want your team to feel they can’t be trusted. These guidelines should ultimately empower professional and creative posts. Recognizes the role social media plays in modern communication.

As mentioned above, there are a lot of social media security risks out there. In this section, you have the opportunity to provide guidance on identifying and dealing with them. To quickly and easily create guidelines for your company and employees. As we celebrate our 33rd year, NPT remains dedicated to supplying breaking news, in-depth reporting, and special issue coverage to help nonprofit executives run their organizations more effectively. Researching sample policies is as easy as using your search engine, but keep in mind that policy creation and implementation are as much art as they are science.

Employee Advocacy On Social Media: What Is It And How To Do It Right

NRP uses social media as both a reporting tool and marketing vehicle to engage listeners and web readers. The network’s social media policy urges reporters to be transparent when reporting information received via social media and seek independent confirmation.

As social media guru, Beth Kanter, noted in her 2009 article “4 Ways Social Media is Changing the Non-Profit World” nonprofits have embraced social media at a rapid pace in the last few years. What are the adjectives you want people to use when they describe your organization? Have a conversation about how your social media strategy fits into this.

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Engaging personally with stakeholders (donors, volunteers, board members, sponsors, vendors, etc.) is encouraged and appreciated. Protocols for secure passwords, installing software updates, and other basic online security concerns. Definitions of what is considered plagiarism and how to avoid copyright issues. Get expert social media advice delivered straight to your inbox. The lessons here relate to social listening and social media audits.

As these platforms become increasingly relevant for the business and nonprofit world, posts are being considered reputable sources of supplementary information about an organization and are held to high standards. In light of this, it’s important to set guidelines for your team using this platform in order to develop a consistent voice and reduce the potential for any misconduct.

Be Transparent With Your Team Regarding The Need For These Guidelines

Ultimately, American Apparel removed the post and posted an apology in its place. They attributed the error to their social media manager’s young age and that he was international. On one hand, this democratization of speech can represent a golden opportunity for small nonprofits to spread their message — without the need for a massive advertising budget or public relations expertise. Sharing photographs of other employees, clients, vendors, suppliers without their permission through social media is prohibited.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies instructs employees to notify its communications office prior to using social media, whether on behalf of the organization or personally. Employees who post for the IFRC must get permission before publishing any item, whether it is intended for a blog, online publication or social media. XYZ respects employees’ online social networking and personal Internet use.

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How you market your brand in the crowded nonprofit space makes all the difference in accomplishing your goals. Consistent messaging and strategic partnerships will help you stand out from the rest. Our guide can help you craft the right messaging to amplify your mission and make an impact in your community. Easily manage all your social media in one place and save time with Hootsuite. This doesn’t mean you need feedback from every single employee. But do get input from team leads, union reps, or others who can represent groups of employees to let you know about any ideas, questions, or concerns.

Without a policy in place, a small misstep online could do damage to your organization’s reputation and brand. We’ll show you how to create solid social media policy for nonprofits.

AIA urges staffers to advance a robust conversation about architecture in a professional and respectful manner. Conduct that is not acceptable in the workplace is not allowed on social media sites. Social networking is, at heart, no more than PR 2.0, and a careful reworking of any existing public relations or media policy should set your organization on a solid basis.

No matter where your organization is on the social media continuum, there are resources that can help it progress to the next stage. If you’re just starting to use this form of communication, it’s important to familiarize board and staff with the landscape and best practices. There is a complex web of options for social media platforms and strategies for each. Suggest that your organization invest in an in-service training for staff or make arrangements for them to attend outside trainings, and consider a board development activity around it. Consultants are another great resource, as they can provide a comprehensive approach to social media usage from training to planning to policy creation. A consultant will be able to help your organization identify platforms, develop strategies, and measure the effectiveness of its efforts.

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One goal of your social media policy is to prevent the need for a social media crisis management plan. Despite your best efforts, a breach or crisis could still happen.

We all know mistakes happen, but your organization can take steps to reduce their occurrences significantly. For example, a system of checks and balances could have prevented American Apparel’s horrific Tumbler post. By creating social media guidelines for your team, you can set a standard for all posted content that unifies your messaging and supports high-quality content.

If you’re in the market for a Social Media Policy, contact Socialbrite — we’re created several policies for well-known nonprofits and brands. For a boilerplate but useful social media disclosure policy, see disclosurepolicy.org. Guidelines for social media managers and brand channel users about how to respond to conflict, manage crises, and address customer service issues. A smart and easy-to-understand social media report is key to proving the value of your social marketing plan. Sometimes there’s nothing like a real-world example to get things going. Here are some great ones to model when creating your own social media policy. This will identify social conversations about your brand and any posts that go against your policy.

Founders Family Leaves Pathfinders Board In A Dispute

If the organization has a Facebook page, you should be a fan; if your organization has a Twitter page, you should be a follower . And should you be new to or hesitant about fundraising, you may find that talking about your organization on social media makes fundraising conversations easier. Will a controlled group of team members oversee your social media content or will all employees contribute? Be sure employees use disclaimers that their opinions are their own whenever making comments as an individual. Social Media Governance’s website hosts an entire database of social media guidelines used by both for profit and nonprofit organizations. I think it’s worth adding a point that is perhaps less obvious to people who tune in here. That is, not everyone is on facebook and twitter, and even professional managers and board members may harbor resistance that is a sort of lagging techno-phobia.

Representing yourself as a employee, up to and including the use of our logos and branding, on you personal profiles is encouraged. Our Marketing/Communications department can provide you with suggested language, images and branding guidelines. Nonprofit fundraising is the heart of every successful charitable organization.

Nothing in this policy is intended to create a contract of employment or for the provision of any benefit, and this policy does not in any way alter the “at will” nature of employment with our organization. Harassing, threatening, discriminating against or disparaging any individuals through social media will not be tolerated. The use of social media during “work hours” is left to the discretion of your supervisor. Any social media usage that distracts from work responsibilities will not be tolerated.

This is when the organizational chart gets flipped, and board members report to staff. Do this before you share it with your team in order to ensure your guidelines are sound. Brainstorm with the entire team to decide what these guidelines should include so they are more useful and so that the team has more buy-in. Unfortunately, in a situation such as this, the actions of one individual represent the opinion of your entire organization. Errors such as these have the potential to change the views of hundreds of thousands of individuals in sheer moments and cost you big in the long run. Realistically, anyone with Internet access is empowered to say pretty much anything , and more and more people are finding their voice in social media with every day that passes. Airing your personal grievances on social media rarely leads to positive outcomes.

Will point nonprofits to it during the webinar I’m doing today on the personal/professional mix and in follow-up blog posts I have planned. We do not distinguish between “personal time” and “work hours” usage, or personal devices and organization-provided equipment. You are at all times a representative of Bloomerang regardless of how or when you are posting on social media. Nordstrom’s social media policy is short and to the point but covers the key details for employees. Depending on your organization’s needs, you may consider posting it to your external website as well (like the companies used as examples at the end of this post!). A social media policy is a crucial tool for any organization—even if your organization doesn’t use social media.