Social Media Guidelines for Employees

Crafting Social Media Guidelines That Empower and Protect Your Brand

The absence of clear social media guidelines can discourage employees from advocating for your brand or even deter potential hires.  For example employees not using your company’s name on their LinkedIn profiles or discouraging employees from using social media altogether.

Why Employee Social Advocacy Matters

Employee advocacy can be a competitive advantage. With trust in brands and institutions waning, people increasingly look to peers for credible information. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer (2024), 61% of respondents believe business leaders knowingly mislead the public, making peer-driven messaging essential.

Empowered employees who share brand-aligned content amplify your reach while building trust.  However, creating a successful advocacy program starts with comprehensive, user-friendly social media guidelines.

Building Social Media Guidelines That Work

A Balanced Approach to Social Media Policies

Employees are legally entitled to discuss their workplaces online. Instead of restrictive policies, forward-thinking companies foster advocacy by offering clear, supportive guidelines. For example, Salesforce activated over 24,000 employees as brand advocates, achieving a staggering 2,000% ROI on its ambassador program.

Effective guidelines serve as a roadmap for employees, showing them how to engage online while protecting the brand.

Key Elements of Social Media Guidelines

Your guidelines should be concise, accessible, and actionable.  Consider creating one-pagers or quick-reference materials for specific scenarios. At a minimum, include:

  • Brand Purpose on Social Media
    Define the company’s goals for each platform (e.g., recruitment, customer advocacy) and how employees can contribute.
  • Style Guide and Brand Identity
    Provide details on trademarks, product names, tone, and approved language to ensure brand consistency.
  • Centralized Brand Assets
    Offer easy access to official logos, FAQs, hashtags, and social profile templates in a shared folder.

Mitigating Common Social Media Risks

Proactive guidelines address potential issues before they arise:

  • Legal Compliance
    Clarify what can and cannot be shared, and discuss the use of disclaimers like “views are my own.”
  • Unsanctioned Accounts
    List official accounts and explain that unauthorized accounts may be removed.  Provide a form for employees to suggest new accounts or campaigns.
  • Departed Employees
    Request that departing team members update their profiles as part of the off-boarding process to avoid confusion.

Learning From the Best: Examples of Enterprise Social Media Guidelines

Some companies publicly share their social media guidelines, offering inspiration for your own policies:

  • Stanford University
    Balances personal and professional use, linking to broader privacy and security policies.
  • IBM
    Encourages employees to engage in industry discussions, with a focus on individuality and professionalism.
  • Dell
    Keeps its guidelines concise, outlining five key points and providing a support channel for employees.

Educating Employees on Social Media Guidelines

Introducing guidelines is just the beginning. To ensure adoption:

  • Incorporate Into Onboarding
    Discuss policies during orientation and help new hires optimize their profiles.
  • Offer Ongoing Training
    Use lunch-and-learns, video tutorials, and regular updates to keep employees informed and engaged.
  • Leverage Internal Platforms
    Share updates via intranet, Slack, Teams, or company emails.