If a company takes the latter approach, Flynn said the social media policy should be more detailed in restricting content. The stakes can be high for enterprises when employees use their social media channels in unapproved ways, and savvy companies know the importance of developing extensive social media guidelines. Your lack of social media guidelines could discourage employees from becoming brand advocates and even applicants from joining your company.

Make Sure It’s Enforced

Make sure you keep up-to-date with changes and think about whether your company social media policy might need some revamping. Hootsuite Amplify is an employee advocacy tool that allows you to create a library of pre-approved brand content. Employees can customize the posts and share them with a couple of clicks. In the United States, company policies must also respect employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Stephanie is a creative director with extensive experience in marketing, content strategy and generative AI. She advises clients on all aspects of their digital and brand content – from high-impact campaigns and storytelling to AI-driven innovation.

Social media guidelines are a set of rules and best practices that outline how an organization and its employees should conduct themselves on social networks. These guidelines help maintain a cohesive brand voice across all social channels while empowering team members to engage effectively with the target audience. Social media has become an integral part of daily life and workplace culture. With over 2.3 billion people worldwide active on at least one social media platform and 69% of U.S. adults using Facebook, the line between personal and professional use of social media has blurred. For companies, this reality underscores the need for a clear, comprehensive social media policy to guide employees and prevent legal or reputational risks.

Anti-harassment Policy

As a result, each employee has a responsibility to understand the rules of the social media site being utilized. Add the name of the go-to person, an email address and a phone number in case your employees have a query about the guidelines. There are several brands that you can also take inspiration from for your social media guidelines. Identify the channels that resonate with your brand and social media strategy. For example, LinkedIn is an excellent channel for sharing business opinions, industry-related information and insights. But you can switch to Instagram if you ever need a more creative medium to express your brand’s casual side.

With over 2 million employees around the world who can help drive the conversation of Walmart online, that’s a questionable decision. The US Air Force understands the power of social media to inform opinions. It manages to pull off this amazing trick where it genuinely encourages employee advocacy, without ever calling it that. The writing is inspirational and treats its employees as trusted humans; there isn’t much babysitting, policing, or fear-mongering here to speak of.

Social media guidelines are instructions and recommendations for how people connected to a company should represent themselves – and the company – on social media. If violations are decreasing over time, it means the policy is being understood and followed. On the other hand, a spike in issues could signal the need for a refresher training or clearer guidelines. Leadership and managers should model the behavior outlined in the Social Media Policy. When employees see top executives using social media responsibly and positively, it reinforces the importance of the policy and encourages everyone to follow suit.