The term “policy” could be such a constricting word, especially in the world of social media. But, in a digital landscape where it is easy to share thoughts in Facebook and tweet random experiences and emoitonal outburts on Twitter, any poorly-written social media policy could result to undersirable interaction between your brand’s official pages and your customers. On the other hand, a well-written social media policy can empower, protect, and support quality interaction and engagement with your customers. A social media policy is important in creating and strengthening your brands’ social media voice to regulate the use of social media with the purpose of building trust, and preventing digital business crisis from within the company.
What is a Social Media Voice?
How do you engage with your customers online without sounding like you’re marketing to them or appearing to be robotic when you answer queries? Social media give brands a chance to develop their own personality, style and characteristic through their online presence. Creating a strong, consistent and sincere social media voice is key in building a relationship with your customers online. A social media voice tells employees and digital marketing agencies exactly the way they should consistenly communicate and interact with customers as the brand’s ambassador online.
How is a social media voice different from an ordinary corporate policy?
Unlike the traditional corporate policy, social media constantly changes. New trends pop up regularly and people adopt to changes almost instanteneously that hard coding the social media voice is almost close to impossible. Of course there will always be basic principles but a good social media voice should be adaptable to change.
Another difference is the greater need for a set of guidelines for official entities such as employees to engage with customers in a consistent tone of voice. While it is possible to have several people assigned to monitor and answer customers online, there should only be one official “voice” that speak to customers.
The following are steps to creating your brands social media voice:
Brainstorm.
A brands social media voice need not come from just one person. Exchange thoughts with experts in different fields: consider talking with experts in marketing, customer service, social media practitioners and the likes. Insights from these experts can help firm up the kind of personality that your brand will take on and create guidelines on interaction.
Consider the Culture.
Consider the culture of the organization where the brand comes from. Some organizations prefer to be conservative while other’s are more outgoing. Make the oraganizational culture a basis of how the brand should behave and interact with customers online.
Build Standards.
Building standards is pretty much like making a list of offical FAQs regarding social media management. Because the social media world is ever changing, consider making default standards such as:
- People behind the social media team (Who are allowed to answer offically for the brand)
- Frequency of posts
- Common issues / crisis intervention
- Crisis escalation guidelines
- Documentation guidelines
- Project evaluation
Consider all LEGALITIES / TECHNICALITIES
In order to add credibility to your brand’s voice, it must adhere with the current laws involved with your specific brand. A good application for this would be pharmaceutical brands where dosage or application are regulated by government agencies such the Food and Drugs Administration Philippines (FDA) and the Department of Health (DOH).
While more sales is good for any business, a responsible brand should always look after the wellbeing of its customer first. Considering all legalities and technicalities involved behind the consumption of the product should always be communicated and observed. If, for example, you are handling a pharmaceutical product that is not advisable for pregnant women, communicate it to your audience clearly.
Implement.
Creating your brand’s social media voice should be implemented consistently by everyone who is allowed to officially speak for the brand. Any policy must be implemented so as to serve its primary purpose which is to encourage free interaction and engagement, without abuse of the social media privilege.
If you would like to know more about building your brand’s social media voice, send us a message.
Get Hooked 360, Digital Marketing Agency Philippines