Example - Social Media Guidelines

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January 5th, 2010

The Pert Group

SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES

Prepared by: Nate Riggs, Mike Brown

Prepared for: Barb Murphy, Cheri Tabel

Social Business Strategies, LLC

[email protected]

614.348.2646


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Social Media Guidelines DRAFT

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INTENT AND APPLICATION

The Pert Group is leading innovations in the use of social media platforms in the market research industry

to increase and enhance communication with both external and internal audiences.

We may use many tools to do this as the available technology evolves, but the primary outlet that we

utilize is our company blog located at the URL: blog.thepertgroup.com. Accordingly, this policy is

intended to assure that the use of Social Media by employees, both during and outside work, is consistent

with The Pert Group values and commitment to customers, as well as its legal and ethical responsibility to

protect its own confidential information and that of its customers and employees.

This policy does not apply to, nor is it intended to interfere with, acceptable posts on personal pages,

profiles and walls or blogs that do not relate to The Pert Group and confidential information over which

The Pert Group has no duty to monitor or control.

THE PERT GROUPS POSITION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The Pert Group recognizes the value and utility of social media and encourages employees to engage

appropriately in such forums. Employees are encouraged to actively participate on The Pert Group Social

Media sites, including its blog and future outposts that may be developed, subject to understanding of and

compliance with values and the guiding principles of The Pert Group set forth below.

Overall Principles

1. Use common sense.2. Be respectful.3. Think before you post.4. Consider who might see the site, profile, post or blog now and in the future.

Disclosures

5. Acknowledge that you are personally responsible for the content of what you publish. Be mindfulthat what you publish will be public for a long time protect your privacy.

6. Identify yourself name and, when relevant, role at The Pert Group when you discuss The PertGroup or The Pert Group-related matters. Always write in the first person. You must make it clear

that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of The Pert Group.

7. Dont cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their approval. When you do make areference, where possible link back to the source. However, you must disclose the nature of the

client/provider relationship when a link is used.

8. Be aware of your association with The Pert Group in online social networks. If you identifyyourself as a member of The Pert Group team, ensure your profile and related content is

consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues and clients.

Content Creation & Usage

9. Respect copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws.10.Dont disclose confidential or other proprietary information of The Pert Group or its clients.


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11.Respect your audience. Dont use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in anyconduct that would not be acceptable in The Pert Group workplace. You should also show

proper consideration for others privacy and for topics that may be considered objectionable or

inflammatory such as politics and religion.

12.Find out who else is blogging or publishing on the topic on which you are writing, and cite them.13.Dont pick fights, be the first to correct your own mistakes, and dont alter previous posts withoutindicating that you have done so.14.Try to add value. Provide worthwhile information and perspective. The Pert Groups brand is best

represented by its people and what you publish may reflect on The Pert Groups brand.

Employees may not create a social media site, profile or blog that appears to represent The Pert Group,

nor may an employee post content that appears to speak on behalf of The Pert Group without obtaining

prior, express, written authorization.

NO EXPECTATIONS OF PRIVACY OR GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY

Users of social media should have no expectation of privacy with respect to content they enter, create,transmit, forward or keep on their own pages, profiles, walls, blogs, or those of others. The Pert Group,

customers, co-workers, or the public may view social media content, even if the content occurs outside of

or is done during non-working time.

Users of social media are responsible for the content of all their sites, profiles, posts and blogs. If The

Pert Group receives a report, or if it discovers a social media site, profile, post or blog that, in The Pert

Groups sole discretion, contains unacceptable content, it may require the employee to remove the

unacceptable content immediately.

Case studies mentioned on The Pert Group blog or other social media outposts should not identify client

work until the clients product or offering has gone to market. Once again, if a client is named on the blog

and a link is given a leading back to the clients website or any other online destination such as a blog,review site, or social media page or profile, The Pert Group content contributor is required to disclose the

nature of the client/provider relationship.

COLLABORATIVE BLOGGING PROCESS

The blog and approval for its content is ultimately the responsibility of The Pert Group. The

administrators/editors will review all posts to ensure they fit the blog's strategy and are grammatically

correct. If there are questions about a blog post based on its strategic fit or grammar, the

administrators/editors will either:

1. Make suggested corrections for review and discussion with the author2. Offer suggested changes for the author to incorporate3. Decide to not publish the article in its current format


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If a blog contributor has a question about a post's suitability, the contributor should first review the post

and content with another approved contributor on the blog team. If a clear resolution cannot be reached,

the blog team contributor responsible for the content will arrange an in-person or phone meeting to review

it with one of the named Blog Administrators.

OWNERSHIP OF CONTENT

All content that is created for and hosted on The Pert Group blog by approved blog team contributors

becomes the sole property and responsibility of The Pert Group, once uploaded to The Pert Groups

InnoBlogs Collaborative Blogging PlatformTM

. Employees named as The Pert Group Administrators

maintain ultimate responsibility for approving all blog content and design changes.

EXAMPLES OF UNACCEPTABLE CONTENT

Photographs or videos recording unprofessional behavior in an identifiable Company setting. Uses The Pert Group name, logo or other Company identifier in a manner that would make it

appear that the user is acting or speaking as an authorized agent of Company, without prior,

express written authorization.

Impersonates another employee through the creation of a false profile or otherwise. Contains critical or disparaging comments that could erode customer and public confidence,

erode good will, and damage The Pert Group reputation.

Contains obscene or inappropriate sexual language, photographs, videos or texts or otherunprofessional or offensive behavior that could detract from employee's effective performance of

job responsibilities, or interfere with the performance of others in the workplace.

Has the effect or intent to bully, defame, discriminate, disparage, embarrass, harass, harm, hurt,impersonate, injure, misrepresent, ridicule, slander, threaten or torment another person(s) or

entity.

Disrupts the orderly operation of The Pert Group.REPORTING

Employees and other persons who are aware of unacceptable content should report to the any of the Blog

Administrators, without fear of retaliation.

Employees who do not use social media consistent with this Policy, including those who do not remove

unacceptable content immediately, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate

discharge.

Documents

Example - Social Media Guidelines