An Example Social Media Ethics Guide- Financial Organization

Interactions with our customers on online through social media has increasingly becoming more popular. It is important to take into account what role ethics play into this communication. Using social media, anyone can share anything online. As a business it is our responsibility to build a positive identity. This policy will help our marketing department and staff when communicating online.

Social media was introduced to our company in 2012. This communication has transformed, here are some examples:

• People are both the producer and consumer of information. News can be shared instantly online before it even reaches the television.
• It is up to the reader to decide whether or not the information is true and credible.
• People have the ability to filter out the types of messages they want to receive.

Our purpose to have social media pages:

Social media is a powerful tool to reach new and different audiences. Since 2012, our company has established social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Youtube. Our presence is to join our customer’s conversation. We spread positive agriculture related facts. As we navigated social media within our business, we will use this policy as a guide and tool for avoiding ethic downfalls.

General Ethics Guidelines

1. Trust is big When posting on social media, be aware of the information that is public. Know what is being shared and to what audiences can read that information.
2. Keep all customer, prospect and staff information private. Protect all information shared with us online.
3. Always share positive information when posting or responding on social media.
4. We will always provide credible information to help build trust within our followers.
5. Our followers deserve to be responded to. If the information they provide is in a negative tone, always respond in a positive manner.
6. If a negative comment is posted or negative information is being shared, first analyze it for credibility. If indeed is true, respond only in a positive manner. Only make a maximum of two public comments. After two, take the conversation offline.
7. Vet any outside source before posting on our social media accounts. Maintain trust with verified facts.
8. Keep our timelines free of manipulative advertisements. Speak with truth about our business.
9. Remove any language or messages that are discriminatory or hurtful. The language used on social media should be an extension of our in person conversations.
10. Avoid all endorsements of political candidates or products. Do post when we meet with legislators.

Tips for Employees

1. Be cautious. Make sure you are posting information you would share with your coworkers, boss and our CEO. Do not publish/disclose confidential information.
2. Double check before posting. Spell check and make sure the information is factual. Fix any mistakes you find, before or after you go live.
3. You are responsible for what you publish but you are a continuation of our reputation.
4. Keep business and personal separate. Contacts should be separated with a business and persona pages. Keep your life away from work.
5. We are proud to call you, our employees. List us as your employer on personal accounts
6. While we encourage you to engage in social media activity that improves your professional image, limit your time spent on social media during normal work hours.

How to handle crisis communications on social media

If a crisis arises, social media plays a bigger role in the conversation. Social media platforms is the top way information is spread, fast. Our participation in responding to the crisis needs to be approached with care. Here are tips our team should follow:

• Before we continue with the upcoming social calendar, we need to review and possibly pause any further scheduled posts.
• We set a team in place to help deal with crisis situations. Know who is on the team and have the policy at the forefront when responding.
• Communicate with honesty, openness and compassion while only using credible sources.
• Always use social media listening to see what the conversation is so we can monitor and stay informed.
• We will not disappear. We will still have a presence, but that communication might be different than our normal voice.
• As we join the conversation, leave room for questions. Our followers will likely have questions, inform them where they can reach us or read the FAQ about the crisis.

As we have the ethics guide in place, these tips in the guide will help us take responsibility for what we can. This guide helps use respond quickly to any potential issue. We are prepared to help us act in the right manner if a crisis or an ethical issue arises.