Summative Assignment Final Project

Running head: WEEK FIVE - ASSIGNMENT 1

WEEK FIVE - ASSIGNMENT 2

Week Five - Assignment

Kristina Jackson

3/22/2021

Social Media Policy

Social media is a powerful marketing tool that allows companies to connect with consumers. Having a policy is important to ensure that the workers know the dos and don’ts on the social channels. Failure to have a social media policy can create a disaster for the organization (Liu & Picard, 2014). Many things could go wrong; for instance, unregulated employees can talk negatively about the organization, they can release confidential information, or even handle negative comments in an unprofessional manner (Steinman & Hawkins, 2010). When this happens, the brand reputation can be adversely, and sometimes irreversibly, tarnished. A social media policy is, therefore, crucial to help the company avoid public relations disaster. Therefore, the policy will remind the employees that what they do or say on social media platforms can negatively affect the company (Wood, 2012). Using policies to proactively protect the company's image is the best approach to avoid a disaster and protect the company from any security or legal issues. The organization under focus is Kingdom Consulting which is a small business consulting firm.

Literature Review

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and social networking websites have a viral nature allowing them to exponentially rise in popularity. The viral quality of social media is an appealing strategy for organizations to market their services and products. Upon recognizing the opportunity that social media presents, marketers have tapped into these outlets' potential to promote their brands (Steinman & Hawkins, 2010). However, integrating social media marketing onto the organizational marketing strategies is accompanied by legal risks, security breaches, violations of an organization's policies, and employees leaking confidential information (Kaupins & Park, 2010). A company that utilizes social media's marketing power has to be cognizant of these issues to protect its image and from liability risks.

A social media policy outlines how a company and its workers ought to conduct themselves on social media. This helps to protect the organization's online reputation, and workers are encouraged to share about the organization on their online platforms. This is why a good social media policy is needed and ensures that all the workers read it. The absence or lack of a policy is not good for companies (Kaupins & Park, 2010). In a case example, Dell was the president of Downcity Motors while his daughter Susannah was the general manager (Watson & Lopiano, 2016). The problem that arose in this company is that Kenton, a sales person, had badmouthed the company on Facebook. This was his second time, and the first time it happened, the company did not have a social media policy. The company owns Mercedes-Bens, Range Rover, and BMW dealerships in Charlotte, North Carolina. The social media messages that Kenton had posted had gone viral, and Coucher, a Downcity contact at BMW headquarters, had communicated with Dell telling them to have a tighter rein on their workers over the nasty messages on Facebook (Watson & Lopiano, 2016). According to Steinman & Hawkins (2010), marketers who use the different types of social media marketing campaigns should have rules in place that will capture specific prohibitions concerning posting negative information about the company even in their private networks. All the company had was a rule that read that employees should not be disrespectful or use profanity that will damage the company's reputation and image. What Kenton did by posting the message, "so thrilled that Downcity went 'all out' for the most important Mercedes launch in years. Nothing says luxury like plastic tablecloths and soda pop," was a violation of the rule (Watson & Lopiano, 2016).

A legal case example is Plant v API Microelectronics LTD. The worker had been with the company for 17 years but made inappropriate and derogatory comments concerning her employer on her personal Facebook page. Her job title and employer were noted on her profile (Case Mine, 2017). Also, her personal Facebook page was linked with the employers' computer system, and when her colleague workers saw the derogatory messages, they reported to their employer. The organization had a social media policy that listed the consequences of unacceptable behavior on social media that could potentially damage the reputation of the company, up to and including dismissal. Since she had breached the social media policy, the decision was to dismiss her, but she appealed, claiming that the decision was not fair, upon which the same dismissal decision was reached (Case Mine, 2017). She further established a claim with the employment tribunal, and her dismissal was termed as not unfair. This dismissal can be seen as harsh, but this shows the importance of a social media policy for any organization for protection against employee comments that can damage the brand, reputation, and relationships with suppliers and clients (Liu & Picard, 2014).

In the case of Downcity Motors, the failure of not having an established social media policy leaves the management at a fix because they cannot fire Kenton, who has repeatedly tarnished the organization reputation in fear that disciplining him will place the company at risk for legal action and further complaints on work conditions. However, keeping such employees poses more risks for the brand reputation (Watson & Lopiano, 2016). Kaupins & Park (2010) assert that a worker's duty of loyalty goes beyond a mere role of refraining from publicly embarrassing an employer. In most cases, the management of the company is justified to terminate the worker for publishing information that is confidential or negative on the internet (Kaupins & Park, 2010).

Policies

The aim of the small business consulting firm is to promote its brand awareness through social media programs. The brand is more than the set of colors or logos, so what employees communicate can impact the brand (Wood, 2012). The following is a social media policy for Kingdom Consulting that will guide employees as they interact with clients on all the social media platforms.

1. Guidelines for Employees Personal Accounts

Dear Employees

At A consulting agency, we understand that our workers can use social outlets for fun and as a satisfying way to share their opinions and life experiences with co-workers, friends, and family (Kaupins & Park, 2010). However, social media usage can pose the organization with risk, and to help you make responsible and thoughtful decisions when you use social media, the following guidelines are to be adhered to. This Policy, therefore, applies to all employees who work with Kingdom Consulting.

Workers are responsible for what they post in social media outlets (Steinman & Hawkins, 2010). Therefore, consider the rewards and risks that are involved before creating any content. Any behavior that has a negative impact on the organization affects the job performance of the workers, or other shareholder's interest in the business can result in disciplinary measures that can also include termination. Employees are therefore required to do the following.

Know the rules and follow them: Read the outlined guidelines carefully to ensure that what you post is consistent with the social media policy. You must avoid postings that are inappropriate, which the organization will not tolerate (Liu & Picard, 2014). These include unlawful or inappropriate conduct, harassment, or discriminatory remarks.

Respect: Be courteous to all shareholders working on behalf of Kingdom Consulting. Avoid using any social media outlet to voice your complaints but rather speak directly with fellow workers or use the company's open-door policy (Liu & Picard, 2014). If you opt to post criticism or any complaints, avoid using audio, video, images, or statements that can be seen as intimidating, obscene, or malicious that could disparage suppliers, customers, or employees (Liu & Picard, 2014). Avoid harming the reputation of the company.

Honesty and accuracy: always ensure that the news or information that you post on social media is accurate and honest (Watson & Lopiano, 2016). Avoid posting rumors or any information that you know is false concerning Kingdom Consulting and all the shareholders.

Confidentiality: Maintain confidential information of Kingdom Consulting. Do not post internal confidential communications that are business-related, procedures, and policies on any social media outlet (Kaupins & Park, 2010). Do not post the company’s trade secrets such as the development of technology, know-how, products, processes, and systems, as this may put the brand at risk from competitors. It is illegal to disclose any inside information to people on social media as it violates internal company policy.

Do not create a link from your Facebook page to Kingdom Consulting‘s website or Facebook page without proper identification as the company’s associate. However, when expressing personal opinions to not represent yourself on the social media platforms like the company's spokesperson (Kaupins & Park, 2010). If Kingdom Consulting is subject to the personal opinions that you are posting, be open and clear that you are the company's associate and make sure it is clear that your personal views are not representative of those held by the employer and shareholders working on behalf of the company.

These guidelines regulate worker's personal accounts because what they say can have an impact on the company’s marketing efforts.

2. Social Media Policy for the Marketing Team

Handling Public Relation Issues: In the case, a poor customer experience or negative comment arises, always handle it effectively and promptly to avoid escalation of the issue. The employees should represent the grand first and responding to negative comments should be met with respect, patience, and reflection of the brand's tone.

The team should use the platform to connect with the customers, be nice, and have fun responsibly (Liu & Picard, 2014). Be conscious not to mix your personal lives with the business on the company’s official platforms as well as your personal accounts.

Always stay on topic and create content that is relevant to Kingdom Consulting only, and do not post when in doubt of the customer's reactions.

Benefits of the Policy

The social media policies are very important in brand promotion efforts for Kingdom Consulting. It is critical to help the employees understand the workplace reality in that their private and work lives are not separate. It will help the workers understand that anything they post on their social media outlets reflects the company and on them as employees of the organization. This kind of regulation will therefore protect the reputation of the company and ensure a strong brand. When employees are aware that anything they post online and negatively affects the business can be used against them, they will be careful to positively display the company (Wood, 2012). When employees understand the dos and don’ts, they will have better insight into how they can use social media to raise awareness of the organization and promote the brand effectively. Employees will also avoid responding to critical matters and refer them to the social media marketing team, which is the official voice for responding to the questions or complaints made (Liu & Picard, 2014).

Conclusion

The social media program will aim to utilize the social media outlets to promote the brand. However, if usage is not well regulated, things could go wrong for the company by damaging its reputation. The employees are required to act as representatives in the brand promotion across the social media platforms, and as a result, policies are critical to regulating their online interaction with the customers, suppliers, and other key shareholders. The two policies outlines are for employees' personal social media accounts and the social media marketing team, which is the company’s voice on the online platforms. The law treats social media marketing as other similar practices and thus requires that the claims made are accurate and truthful. This will help in binding the employees to speak truthful information and comply with the needed standards to avoid damaging the reputation of the company. When employees know and are taught what is expected of them from their social media interactions, they will aim at painting a positive image and help the company maintain a good relationship with the customers.

References

Case Mine. (2017, 04 28). Mrs. E. Plant v API Microelectronics LTD (England and Wales: Breach of contract: Unfair Dismissal). https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5a8ff8c160d03e7f57ecca33

Kaupins, G., & Park, S. (2010). Legal and ethical issues associated with employee use of social networks. Advances in Business Research, 1(1) 82-93.

Liu, Y. L., & Picard, R. G. (2014). Policy and marketing strategies for digital media. Routledge.

Steinman, M. L., & Hawkins, M. (2010). When marketing through social media, legal risks can go viral. Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, l, 22(8), 1-15.

Watson, M. A., & Gabrielle Lopiano. (2016). Case Study: Should He Be Fired for That Facebook Post? Havard Business Review.

Wood, M. (2012). Marketing social marketing. Journal of Social Marketing. Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 94-102. https://doi.org/10.1108/20426761211243937