Writing a Social Media Policy: Protect Your Business, Your Brand and Your Employees

Many companies have joined the social media revolution to promote their business and brand; and virtually every company has employees who use social media for personal reasons. But according to a 2011 survey by Grant Thornton^SM LLP and Financial Executives Research Foundation Inc., less than a quarter of companies have adopted a clearly defined social media policy that provides guidance to employees who engage in social media for either personal or professional reasons.

This month’s Blue Paper, podcast and infographic from promotional products retailer 4imprint, Writing a Social Media Policy: Protect your business, your brand and your employees, offers tips on how to write a social media policy for the workplace that can help protect a company’s reputation while encouraging employees to be the company’s best social media ambassadors.

“With the use of social media becoming a commonality in today’s business setting, there are many questions both legally and ethically surrounding how employees use it,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper and podcast helps businesses explore what kind of social media policy could best serve their business and their employees.”

The Blue Paper and podcast offer an approach to writing a company-specific policy promotes employee interaction while still protecting a company’s reputation. Topics include:

• Why every company needs a social media policy—or maybe two!
• The do’s and don’ts of writing a policy
• The kinds of activities a policy may cover
• Training approaches
• And more!

To read this Blue Paper, download the podcast or scan through the infographic, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers

4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint

4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.