What is Your Social Media Policy?

Businesses around the globe have been jumping on the social media band wagon.  They each have a different reason for doing it:  increase sales, increase customer service levels, increase brand awareness...Companies have corporate Fan pages on Facebook, blogs, Twitter accounts and are trying to figure out this new technology.

So as corporate America tries to leverage this new communication vehicle, we too, as individuals need to determine how we will use it.  Will it be to increase our personal brand, connect and network with existing contacts and new people, learn new things or find jobs.  I don't really think "not playing" is an option any longer.  We fought email, we fought online job boards, but eventually they won. 

Companies are also establishing "usage" policies for their employees.  A survey published by Robert Half, Whistle - But don't Tweet - while you work, says that 54% of employers do not allow the use of social media sites to be used during working hours. Hey, it is new, what do you expect.  This is likely to change.

However, just because it may not be allowed in the workplace, doesn't mean it isn't something you can participate in during your free time. 

Refine your LinkedIn profile.  Join Groups and get the weekly digest of activities. Have these updates and digests sent to an email account or RSS feed so you can access them when you have time. (Here is a great post on how to master your social media life)  You can determine how often you want to engage and perhaps if you see something of interest, you can join in or benefit.  

Consider these personal usage questions:

• How often will you use social media?
• What social media tools you will use?
• What is your purpose for being on this tool (keeping track of family, learning new things, meeting new people, sharing knowledge, developing personal brand?)
• What is your policy for connecting, friending, linking or following people?

Once you have a strategy or plan, it makes it much easier to use these tools.

Comments

[Career Sherpa]

Paul, it can be overwhelming. I use Tweetdeck because it allows me to see more at one time. It also makes re-tweeting and replying much easier.

Playing on the sidelines, watching, or pulling as you say, gives you the opportunity to learn. However, in order to become recognized, you need to engage by posting interesting tweets and engaging other tweeple in conversation.

You can meet some interesting people out there and that should help you build your network as well as your visibility...

Good luck and have fun with it.

[Paulgebel]

I'm finding that twitter lists, searches, and trending topics are making "following" obsolete for me. Twitter is far more useful as a "pull" than a "push", except for the couple dozen companies and individuals that I find useful to check in to on a daily basis. Maybe that means I don't "get" twitter, but the sheer volume becomes overwhelming after more than 50 or so follows... At least for the amount of time I have to dedicate to it.