Social Media Policy for the Performing Arts sector II

Yesterday I started to examine Social Media Policy by listing some thoughts for the Performing Arts sector to consider. Today, I have been doing some screening and looking at different companies' social media policies. Here are some policy points that can be useful for the performing arts sector:

Before writing our Social Media Policy we should consider that:

• There is a big circulation of people in the performing arts sector. The policy has to take that into account.
  
• Many performing arts professionals are depending on their personal brands. Don't make a policy that prevents them from developing their own brands in their own network activities; they are depending on them for future engagements.
  
• When we decide to implement a social media strategy in our organization we strive for a viral effect and want our information to travel beyond our websites. We have to accept that we will not be able to control everything that is said about us. A policy is not about restrictions, but guidelines!
  

THE POLICY

• State what we as an organization intend to do in the social media space
  How and why will the organization have a social media presence?
  For example:
  
  
  1. The organization aim to keep an open exchange with existing audiences
     
  2. To learn by listening to and communicating with emerging audiences
     
  3. To take part in the development of our sector by encouraging staff to keep blogs, wikis, participate in collaborative platforms and social networking
     

• Social Media Spokes People
  Will the organization have official company bloggers, tweeters? Who edit social media content on different sites? 
  State here for example:
  
  
  1. The organizations policy for transparency: What can we share and what shouldn't be shared.
     
  2. Respect copyright and fair use
     
  3. Respect the audience, the readers
     
  4. Keep a good judgment
     
  5. Add value. Provide worthwhile information and an interesting perspective. Try not to be "internal" in language and general approach
     

• Policies for general employees
  Encourage staff to participate, to share, to blog, to discuss and to comment: do everything to develop the performing arts sector!
  When the staff takes part in social media activities during their contract in our organizations, we can recommend them to:
  
  
  1. Keep a good judgment
  2. Use their own identity
     
  3. Know the media that they are active in
     
  4. Respect copyright and fair use
     
  5. Think twice
     
  6. Express their opinions, but state that they are their own opinions when needed
     

An organization can also keep the policy very short. Michael Hyatt (who is against policy but CEO for a company who has one) proposes the following policy:

"Use whatever social media you want. Feel free to use it on company time. Just use common sense and remember that if you publicly identify yourself with the company's brand then act in a manner consistent with that brand. It's in all of our best interests to do so.