Corporate Blogging Policies
Is Corporate Blogging a powerful communication tool? Or a dangerous toy with much greater risks than potential benefits? A blogging policy could make the difference.
UPDATED June 3, 2005
So far we haven't seen that many policies, but there are some examples you can use to write your own. Sun's Policy on Public Discourse recognizes the risk and offers Sun employees advice:
- It's a Two-Way Street
- Don't Tell Secrets
- Be Interesting
- Write What You Know
- Financial Rules
- Quality Matters
- Think About Consequences
The attitude towards blogging is generally the same in Groove Network's policy, commonly said to be the first one.
Both of these policies deals more with employee blogs than corporate blogs. There's just a fine line between the two, but if you're looking for a more corporate angle IMN might help you. IMN Chief Executive Officer Kathleen Goodwin have eight basic tips for companies researching blogging (pdf. Among other things, she says "Provide each internal weblog publisher with a set of weblogging standards. These include confidentiality policies, product disclosure guidelines and basic dos and don'ts (i.e. don't refer to customers by name unless they want you to. Do update the thread on a daily basis.)".
More examples: - Feedster Corporate Blogging Policy
- Thomas Nelson Blogging Guidelines
- Plaxo Public Internet Communication Policy
- Hill & Knowlton Blogging policies and guidelines
- Yahoo Employee Blog Guidelines (pdf)
- [email protected]
Finally, take a look at Scobleizer's Corporate Weblog Manifesto. It's not a policy or guideline by normal corporate standards, but he makes a couple of good points.