This is an issue I frequently discuss with clients. Business are trying to figure out how to implement social media into their marketing efforts, linking Twitter and Facebook (and others) into their conventional and online marketing. The use of the word social is what makes it confusing for some. The goal is to show your company as active, engaged, interesting. Although it’s tempting, you do need a separation of yourself as the complete person and yourself as a representative of an organization. A few years ago this wasn’t a problem – there were only a few official company representatives. Now every single employee can be one. It’s both an opportunity and a mine field.
From a business perspective, you want your customers and prospects to see and connect with your business and employees, not to become repelled by them. I’m often asked if employees should use their personal accounts to blog about their company and for the most part, I have to say no. There’s too big a risk to alienate someone and very little to gain.
Here’s what you need to avoid:
- Religion. Under no circumstance.
- Politics. For many this is completely intertwined with religion as well, so it’s doubly forbidden.
- Personal relationships and the surrounding activities, especially sex – it might sound prudish, but if your business isn’t about sex, then keep it out of your organization’s messages.
- Trivial matters – no one needs to know every time you step away from your desk, how much coffee you’ve drank and when you’re off for the day. Save it for your personal messaging.
What you do want to write about:
- Things that are important to your industry and are of interest to your customers. You need to create a model customer and find out what they want and need to read about – that’s what you’ll be primarily posting about.
- A show of your culture – what your company does to have fun, what your employees care about as a group – these are all great. Share your company cookout and potluck photos and recipes. Recognize employee accomplishments both inside and outside of work. Talk about what your company cares about beyond the bottom line. Give your readers an idea of what it’s like to work inside your organization.
- Problems you face within your company and how you address them.
If you can engage more of your staff with some simple guidelines like these you have the potential to greatly magnify your marketing efforts. But make sure you’re clear with everyone on your staff what you’re trying to achieve and why it’s important to keep some things personal and private.
