The key is finding the right balance—ensuring that employees feel empowered to use social media responsibly while also protecting the company from potential risks. With the right policy in place, everyone can feel confident using social media as a tool for both personal growth and professional success. Misleading or false information can create confusion and potentially damage the company’s reputation. When using personal social media accounts, always keep in mind that your posts can be linked back to your professional role, especially if you have public profiles or list your workplace. [newline]If you decide to share opinions about topics related to the company, make sure to clearly differentiate your personal views from the company’s stance.

It ensures organizational knowledge stays with your team even if individual team members move on or change roles. UIS expects individuals to engage in its educational forums respectfully and truthfully. If public comments are permitted on a department or unit social media account, due regard will be given to freedom of speech and expression protections of the First Amendment to the U.S.

Use role-play exercises, short quizzes, or interactive modules to help employees understand the policy in action. A single inappropriate post from an employee or customer service mishandling can go viral within minutes. In fact, 59% of consumers say they will unfollow a brand after a single negative experience online.

Internal Official 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.

Your social media policy must provide clear guidelines on how to handle sensitive areas, particularly regarding the law and industry regulations. Legal requirements vary by country and state, so make sure you consult with your legal counsel. A well-crafted social media policy will provide a variety of benefits, like empowering your staff and protecting your brand. But to relish those benefits, your policy needs to outline clear, comprehensive guidance.

Section 1: General Guidelines

If someone violates the rules for the first time, managers usually give a verbal warning and set up some extra training. Your policy needs to keep personal opinions separate from company positions. You have to balance employee expression rights with your company’s compliance needs. Employee monitoring solutions can help you keep track of policy compliance, but don’t forget to respect employee privacy rights.

It’s great when team members proudly mention in their social profiles that they work for you. But to protect you both, it’s a good idea to ask them to clarify that they’re not creating social media posts on behalf of the brand. Include any relevant regulations in your social media guidelines for employees. Add specific examples that make the requirements easy for everyone to understand.