Creating a social Media policy for your office
Any modern organization knows they must have a social media presence to stay current, get in front of more customers, and stay top of mind. What stops many organizations in their tracks is not having a clear process in place.
Many times it’s entry-level employees who post and interact on social media. Owners and managers may not be enthusiastic about how their social media is handled but they just don’t have time time to figure it out. Sometimes you’re not sure what exactly could be done better, you just know it’s not quite reflective of your organization. If several people are managing your pages it’s important to have all these standards mapped out beforehand so your company’s social media presence is cohesive.
If you have a webpage, business cards or promotional fliers, your organization probably has a branding guide. But is it adapted for social media?
This is a template for what could be on your social media branding guide or standard operating procedures, depending on your office’s company culture.
I’ll tell you right now, this is a pretty detailed read. You don’t have to sit down and do this all in one day. It’s a process for sure. And if you’re the one in charge of your office’s marketing, you have other items on your plate. (When you sign up for my emails, you get templates for some of the steps below.)
Step 1: Start with your mission statement.
If you don’t have one, here’s a template:
(I/We/Business name) help(s) [target audience] do [product/service] so that [emotional/hidden benefit].
Here’s an example for a salon:
Salon X offers premium cuts and styling for Walla Walla Residents so they can go through life with confidence.
Here’s an example for an app developer.
WineApp connects wine lovers to unique tasting rooms and wineries across the country so they can discover new wineries and experiences and enjoy special perks.
Step 2: Your dream client avatar description.
This will be very important as we write the copy for our posts. Add this information to your social media guide.
Demographics, daily life, challenges/struggles, motivations, the products they use, the food they eat, and anything else that may be relevant.
You have to know who you’re talking to because - as you know, speaking to people’s emotions is key to marketing. Social media is where they’ll decide if they like and trust your business.
Step 3: Make a list of your services or products.
Step 4: Make a list of the various points of entry into your business.
Is it an email newsletter?
Do your clients physically walk into your store?
Do they need to call you?
Do they set up an appointment or is their information captured by a scheduling app?
However your customers come into your world, write those down.
Step 5: What are the goals of your social media presence?
Many of us just want to grow and reach new people. The goal may also be to connect with the public and build trust.
It may be that your business is already established and doing well. You simply need to be on social media because you want to show you’re a company that stays current.
These goals of your social media presence and the points of entry will dictate which calls to action we use.
Step 6: Identify your brand voice. Is your company professional? Educational? Relaxed? Bossy? Rebellious? Keep this in mind as you plan content, write captions and interact with comments and messages.
Step 7: Establish a commenting policy.
How will negative comments and trolls be handled?
First of all, trolls and complainers are a sign that you are making an impact. Congratulations. However, if they're really raining on your parade you have several options:
-You can turn off commenting, which I don't really recommend because commenting signals to the algorithm that your content is worth watching. But if that’s what you need to do to protect your peace, you have my support.
-You can block users. If you decide to do so, you don't owe anyone an explanation! This is the digital equivalent of that sign that says, “We have the right to refuse service to anyone.”
Step 8: Brainstorm content ideas.
Here are some prompts:
Think of the calls your office gets regularly,
What’s on your FAQ page,
What can you teach people about your company or service?
What do you wish everyone knew about your organization?
What makes you different from the competition?
Where/how did the company start?
For a comprehensive brainstorming guide, sign up for my email list and it will be sent right to your inbox. Never run out of content ideas!
Step 9: Lists of hooks and calls to action.
Revisit your lists of entry points and goals to decide what you want your viewers to do. When they’re in scroll mode, you have to be clear and tell them exactly what you want otherwise they’ll just keep on scrolling and all your effort in content creation will be wasted.
In the salon example above, these could be your hooks and CTAs.
Hooks:
__ tips to make your blonde last longer.
__ signs of damaged hair.
__ Ways to style dirty hair.
CTAs:
Like and follow for hair styling ideas.
Save this post for later.
Tag a friend who gets it.
Step 10: Ensure your profile is built to attract your dream clients and convert them from a follower to a lead, AKA do a profile audit. Your profile home pages are the digital equivalent to your storefront, and these days, could be seen by even more people. Is it clear from a quick glance who you serve, what you do, and why people should follow? (I have a profile audit guide that comes out if you sign up for newsletters.)
If you’re building your office’s social media from the ground up, remember that this process is ongoing. Organizations grow and change, staff turns over, new systems and products come and go. If you look over this list and take on just one aspect at a time, it’s a victory.
Like any skill, it’s going to take consistent practice and learning to get to a point where you feel proud of what you’re putting out there. If you’re willing to learn on the job, each post you publish is building your skills as well as serving as promotional material for your business.
If you don’t want to learn on the job and want your business’s social media to start off optimized and polished, hire a social media professional to get your business on the map. If you’d like to develop a corporate social media strategy and have me train your team, fill out the application form below.
