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What Is Social Media Doing For Your Company?

Social media is ubiquitous with the ability to say anything you like. Given how common it is for people to post their entire lives on Facebook and Twitter, it’s a wonder anybody can resist posting play-by-plays of their whole day. But at what point does our society’s propensity to share affect our professional lives? And what effect can it have?

Reuters posted an article recently about Katherine Heigl’s lawsuit against New York pharmacy Duane Reade. An employee posted a candid shot of her online, using it to essentially advertise the company. The problem is, the employee was using Duane Reade’s account. Heigl didn’t like this and filed the lawsuit, as it implied she was endorsing the company when in reality there was no endorsement deal signed.

It’s clear that this employee didn’t have a good understanding of the company’s social media responsibility, and Duane Reade may now have to pay a hefty price because of it. Had the employee posted the picture on a personal social media account, the results may have been completely different. How can a company avoid a similar situation for themselves?

Forbes also takes a close look at the situation and further investigates how positive social media from employees affects a company. The statistics are worth the read alone, but Forbes also discusses Infusionsoft, a company that, on the second day of employment, trains its employees on how to properly use social media on the company’s behalf and are even expected to advocate for the company.

It may not be necessary to go as far as training all of your employees on social media, but it’s critical to have a social media policy in place, especially for the employee(s) who maintain your social media. It’s critical to take control of your messaging online.

Facebook and Twitter can quickly get your company in hot water, or it can help you build your brand even stronger. What happens online can be controlled, and it’s up to you to make sure it happens with proper training.