Provide examples of the language, vocabulary, and writing style that should be used in social media posts, comments, and interactions. Consider factors such as humor, professionalism, empathy, and authenticity to ensure that your brand’s social media voice remains consistent and relatable across different communication channels. They aim to maintain consistency, professionalism, and alignment with the brand’s values and objectives in all social media communications and interactions. A company’s social media account upholds the company’s brand, image, and core values. Therefore, it’s important for businesses to take their social media channels seriously by implementing a social media policy. This will help govern the use and posting/sharing of social media guidelines.
Statements and slurs about race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity and gender can be considered offensive. Remind employees that their professional brand and personal brand are tied together. Providing protocol and tools helps your team nip problems in the bud before they grow into a full-blown social media crisis. So, it’s a good idea to put a quick and punchy list of your most basic social media code of conduct right upfront.
Nordstrom Social Media Guidelines
Lastly, It’s beneficial to have a committee or even one designated team responsible for reviewing the content before it is published on social media as a safeguard measure. Adding your own voice increases trust and demonstrates that you are a real person with genuine interests and ideas. If using AI for generating ideas or content, ensure that the final posts retain a personal, human touch. AI can assist, but authenticity and personal engagement should always come through in your communications. Clear social media policies do more than protect your brand—they create a safer, more cohesive workplace. By keeping teams out of unnecessary online drama, these guidelines foster unity and make employees feel supported, no matter their background or beliefs.
On the flip side, Patagonia’s voice is passionate and purpose-driven, tying every post back to their core mission. Defining your voice isn’t about handcuffing your team with rigid rules. It’s about creating a character so vivid that anyone can step into its shoes and speak with confidence.
What Guidance Should You Offer For Your Employees’ Personal Social Media Use?
To get a sense of the different kinds of social media guidelines out there, we’ve broken these examples out by industry. Clarify that privacy and confidentiality should be respected across all social media platforms. Or, start with our free social media guidelines template, which you’ll find linked below. The FTC social media guidelines also require clear disclosure when an influencer or other third party receives compensation of any kind for a social post. If your business doesn’t have a Social Media Policy yet, now is the time to create one. Don’t leave your online presence to chance—build a foundation that supports both compliance and creativity.
Social Media Compliance Policy Examples
A strong Social Media Policy should not only prevent misuse but also empower safe and confident employee participation. If engagement is high and positive, it’s a good sign your policy is working. Your employees are the ones who use social media every day—both for work and personally. Invite their input to ensure the policy is realistic, understandable, and relevant. A feedback loop also helps you identify confusing language or blind spots that need clarification.
By fostering a positive online presence, employees can contribute to both their personal professional growth and the broader success of the company. Additionally, employers should be cautious about using social media content as the basis for hiring, firing, or disciplinary decisions. It’s crucial to ensure that any action taken is based on objective, work-related concerns and does not unfairly target employees for their personal beliefs, political views, or non-work-related activities. This template is just a starting point, and you can tailor it to your company’s culture, needs, and legal requirements.
Maintaining good relationships with your employees and complying with federal regulations are two more important reasons you should use a professionally made template. This section also makes employees aware that they must follow state and federal laws about subjects such as pornography, discrimination, and creating a hostile work environment. When crafting your Social Media Policy, use a numbered system that makes the policy easy to follow and easy to refer to during employee training or when they need to refer to its various sections.
Social media presents an opportunity for libraries to engage with users and to make significant contributions to shared knowledge. This robust civic engagement leads to an informed citizenry and a healthy society, while also demonstrating the great value of our institutions. Similarly, your corporate SM guidelines should also state the standards for devising names for your social media posts, as well as the images posted by your employees.