What would happen if all your company’s Twitter followers left when one of your employees quit? It’s happened to the best companies — but it doesn’t have to happen to you.
Here are five tips to make sure your company’s social media accounts stay yours, courtesy of Suzanne Lucas of Moneywatch:
- Lay it all out there. Like anything, your policy on social media ownership should be in writing. Make any staffers who will be accessing and using the account sign a document stating that the account is owned by the company. Also explain what happens to the account when an employee leaves or is fired.
- Prohibit personal info. It almost goes without saying, but make it clear that it’s all business, all the time on company social media accounts.
- Put it in the job description. Accessing and using the company’s Facebook or Twitter won’t be employee-specific — in other words, no matter who has a specific job, he or she will be using social media. Since that’s the case, put it in the job description.
- Make staff use new accounts. This one’s easy. Bob or Sue may already have a Twitter account, but always make them either start a new one or take over an existing one already owned by the company. That will eliminate any questions of who owns which followers or “likes.”
- Keep the password yourself. The email associated with a social media account should be a company email, and someone higher up in the company should maintain the password. When an employee quits or leaves, change the password ASAP.