Below are 21 real-life social media policy examples from various industries. For each example, we’ll highlight what we like about the specific social media policy, as well as what we think could be improved.
Adidas’ social media policy is clean, concise, and less stuffy than other policies.
We like to see policies with a lot of common sense and human-speak, as opposed to full of “legalese.” This policy hits the mark.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Adobe keeps it even shorter than Adidas. We suspect Adobe has more to say on social media in private, internal documents.
But in this short public-facing policy, Adobe touches on social media roles without getting into too much detail.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Best Buy is the first company on this list with an extensive retail employee population. These employees talk to customers every day, all day long.
In effect, Best Buy’s policy covers all scenarios where a Best Buy employee speaks, whether it’s online or in person, on official or unofficial channels, on the clock or off it.
So how does Buy Buy tie together all of these situations? Read on…
Strengths
Weaknesses
Coca-Cola has one of the longer and denser social media policies on this list. And we’re torn about it.
On the one hand, we like its descriptions and thoroughness.
On the other hand, it could be shorter and better organized.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Dell is a good example of how a social media policy is just one piece of the social media puzzle for employees.
It’s thorough on its own, but its strength lies in the supporting elements.
Strengths
Weaknesses
ESPN is an outlier from the rest of this list. That’s because many of its employees are journalists who are paid to report the news in sports.
The challenge is that some of them are also paid to entertain and opine.
Given that sports do not exist in a vacuum, but rather, an often political and partisan real world, ESPN’s employees are bound to opine in ways that are…political. You can understand the challenge. (If you’re a sports fan or just plain curious, here’s an excellent breakdown on exactly this challenge at ESPN.)
Strengths
Weaknesses
One of the most creative social media policies we’ve seen is Edmunds’.
It’s unique and eye-catching. And as with any good social media policy, it keeps the reader engaged.
Strengths
Weaknesses
With nearly half a million employees worldwide affiliated with its brand, FedEx’s scale poses a challenge and an opportunity for its social media policy.
It’s to FedEx’s credit that they can create one document that hits all the main points without much fuss. Though there are areas for improvement, as you’ll see.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Another iconic brand, another social media policy meant to protect that brand.
Ford’s “digital participation guidelines” (a touch outdated as a phrase) get the job done. We like this policy’s brevity and simple layout.
Strengths
Weaknesses
General Motors (GM) has an odd situation with their social media policy.
When we first saw their policy, we thought, “Wow - they really do want to empower their employees to be active on social media!”
But we dug deeper, including looking at their “full” policy. And we found out things were not quite as rosy as we thought.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Ignoring the quirky name for a moment - IBM’s social media policy is one of the better ones we’ve seen.
It exhibits team-spirit and emphasizes the trust the company places in its employees.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Intel’s social media policy is a mixed bag.
There are some great parts, and some very nice simplicity.
But there are also some parts that feel like a team of lawyers had the document in their hands for too long.
Strengths
Weaknesses
While we don’t have JPMorgan Chase’s general global social media policy, we’ve cobbled together enough information from their various “code of conduct” documents.
JPMorgan Chase’s social media policy is fairly restrictive. Even by the financial services industry’s already tight standards.
If the ideal social media policy clarifies expectations while encouraging employees to participate online, then this policy is much closer to the other end of the spectrum.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Massachusetts General Hospital, or “Mass General”, is of course in the heavily regulated healthcare industry. As a handler of highly sensitive patient information, Mass General has to be cautious of what they share online.
But that doesn’t mean their employees can’t be active on social media.
Mass General does a fantastic job of observing healthcare regulations without letting them suffocate their social media marketing. And it starts with their social media policy.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Mayo Clinic, just like Massachusetts General Hospital above, has to work within a restrictive regulatory environment.
That’s why we like that Mayo Clinic doesn’t differ all that much from the less regulated companies in the social media world.
In fact, they even have a quite novel approach to explaining their guidelines - keep reading.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer comes in with what we’d describe as a conservative, corporate social media policy. Given the industry they’re in, we get it.
Does it cover the most of the basics? Yes.
Will it get many employees excited to talk about Pfizer in any meaningful way? No.
Strengths
Weaknesses
In theory, journalists have a responsibility to be impartial when they report. So their organizations’ social media policies tend to be especially thoughtful around how their employees conduct themselves online.
Reuters is no exception. As you’ll see, we’ve taken some of the longer, more eloquent passages and included them below.
Strengths
Weaknesses
We never thought we’d say this about a stuffy ol’ state government.
But the State of Utah’s social media policy is easily one of the best we’ve ever seen.
It manages to pull off this amazing trick where it genuinely encourages employee advocacy, without ever calling it that. The writing is inspirational and treats its employees as trusted humans; there isn’t much babysitting, policing, or fear-mongering here to speak of.
In a word: amazing.
Well done, Utah!
Strengths
Weaknesses
Another government organization, another strong social media policy!
The US Air Force understands the power of social media to inform opinions.
Perhaps even more important than shaping opinions, though, is the ability for social media to keep people connected. And we don’t mean that in an abstract, philosophical way.
We mean it the most literal sense - as in keeping an Airman connected with his or her family back home.
You might think it’s cheesy or out of place to include something so emotional in a social media policy. But it’s precisely because connection is so important that it deserves its place in this particular social media policy.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Walmart’s social media policy is…odd.
It’s odd because at various points in the policy, it doesn’t distinguish between employees and customers. In fact, the policy’s language appears to put some separation between associates and Walmart itself.
With over 2 million employees around the world who can help drive the conversation of Walmart online, that’s a questionable decision.
It just might be the biggest missed opportunity in the history of corporate social media and employee advocacy.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Xerox’s social media policy is in two formats: text and video.
After watching Xerox’s video, we were reminded of the power of a short, simple video to communicate a topic that’s typically seen as “boring.”
It also helps that the content of their policy is all-around solid.
Strengths
Weaknesses
*******
Well, well! Look who finished Chapter 2!
Not only do you have a grasp of the basics that go into a social media policy, you can now break down the strengths and weaknesses of any social media policy out there!
That’s a powerful skill you’ve developed, which you can use to create a new social media policy from scratch, improve an existing policy, or edit a template.
Speaking of templates…it’s time for Chapter 3: Social Media Policy Templates to Get You Started.
Let’s go!