Association Marketing Springboard

How did that happen? The two year anniversary of this blog quietly slipped by last Friday. Last year I celebrated my blog's birthday with candles and ice cream. Mmmm...vanilla caramel fudge.

This year, I'm celebrating by finalizing all the little details for Buzz2009. (I actually feel a little guilty about cheating on the Association Marketing Springboard by posting so much on the Buzz2009 site.)

I'd also like to take a minute to thank all of you for reading, sharing, commenting, tweeting, emailing, and otherwise supporting all the crazy ideas I go on and on about. It means a lot to me. I get a little choked up just thinking about it.

So this is really only a half-formed idea. I read this great post about Kodak's content marketing from @juntajoe and I've been chatting with some folks who have really great content, but can't seem to get it to stick because it isn't relevant to what's trending right now. So, from a marketing standpoint, what can we do to get more buzz going around our websites?

Great content is no longer the marketing tool it once was. There. I said it. Not to say that you can publish a bunch of fluff and expect people to pay attention. But there is a huge advantage to frequency for the sake of experimentation. As Clay Shirky said at NTEN, "Fail informatively. Fail like crazy."(hat tip @chadnorman) Except failure isn't the only possible outcome here. You will also succeed informatively. Succeed like crazy.

The new web editors will have the skill to publish frequent, snack-sized updates that advance the hottest topics of the day. They'll be able to connect those pieces of content with the conversations going on around them on other sites and in social spaces. They'll be able to measure the results of their work, all the while improving their publishing skills, their connectedness, and their ability to identify the hottest topics.

Am I describing a blogger? Yup. Pretty much. Look at some of the most successful blogs out there--Mashable, Gawker, Huffington Post--the publishing frequency is outrageous. But they know better than any of us what their readers want. And they can use that knowledge to give their readers more of what they want.

The new marketers will be able to use the huge amount of data their web editors are gathering (admittedly through frequent trial and error) to select the topics that need deeper coverage, design content--whether it's education, a publication, or premium web content--and make that content available at the exact tipping point when it will be best received.

So what's the next step? I'm not suggesting we all start blogs...I'm not sure I know what I'm suggesting. Maybe we all just need to think more like bloggers and let the experimentation begin.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

This post is the fourth in a 4-part series on social media policies. In this part, we're looking at homebase policies--policies that apply to your own website, blogs, and hosted online communities. These might include terms of service, privacy policies, content and copyright policies, and posting/commenting policies. (Remember, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just laying out what I've learned from many smart people, including Leslie White. You should talk to your lawyer about the contents of this post before you act on it.)

Circle of Trust
Even though your website, your blog, and your whitelabel social networks serve different purposes, they're all essentially homebases--when a person arrives at the party, they know your organization is the host who's paying the mortgage. If you think about it, all three spaces are part of your organization's circle of trust. The policies you create will set expectations for who is in the circle, and how to stay in the circle. The trick is to have the policy in place, then enforce it wisely. Otherwise you might find yourself outside the circle of trust in your own homebase.

Who are the people your policies will affect?
Everyone, but content creators will be more affected than passive readers. So it's important to have your creators in mind while you are crafting your policies.

What risks are you trying to mitigate?
Antitrust, defamation, and copyright infringement. If you're facilitating user-generated content in your homebases, you'll also be managing risk of misinformation and brand confusion.

Policies for your website
For a policy to be enforceable, there needs to be a link to it from any page on your website. That's why you often see them in the footer. On the American Chemical Society website, for example, the footer contains all of the following...

• ACS Terms of Use
• ACS Security
• ACS Privacy
• ACS Copyright

The ACS has really well crafted policies, but I think most organizations could be more than adequately served by a single Terms of Use page that clearly and succinctly covers all the major points. For example, here is NTEN's privacy and terms of use policies.

Policies for your blog
Your terms of use could also apply to your blog, or you could craft a special terms of use just for your blog, as VAR has done.

As for commenting/posting policies, part of building a community on your blog is to do as little as possible to hinder conversation. Sometimes, policies can be misinterpreted as rules or handcuffs. Unless you have specific concerns, antitrust for example, my preference would be to wait and create your policies in response to a specific incident. That way your readers will know that you are protecting them rather than limiting them. Here's how Darren Rowse of ProBlogger fame handled a sticky situation with comments.

Policies for your online communities/social networks
For your whitelabel social networks, your terms of use should be part of the sign-up process. The terms need to focus on issues surrounding user-generated content--ownership, appropriateness, and interpersonal behavior for starters.

You've probably noticed that most social networks have a checkbox "I agree to the terms of service." But how many people actually read the terms of service? It's not like they have a choice. But we all check it dutifully and move on. Can you sum up your terms of service in a single sentence? Here's a huge personality moment. Give them the short "translation" before launching into the hole legalese, and set the tone for a true, open, and transparent online community experience.

Summing up four posts in one sentence
Trust your peeps to do the right thing, and help them define what the right thing is.

I feel very fancy. I've been invited to participate on the advisory board for SmartBrief on Social Media (SBoSM). If you're not familiar with it, SBoSM is a daily email newsletter that aggregates social media news from credible online sources. It is, in my opinion, the best resource for keeping up with the ever changing social media zeitgeist. Here's the link to sign up for SBoSM, if you haven't already. You can also follow @sbosm on twitter and subscribe to the SmartBlog on Social Media.

I'm in the company of some very distinguished social media experts, which is exciting. But what's even more exciting is that, through my participation, I have the opportunity to represent you, the association community, and provide editorial feedback based on the kind of information you find valuable.

Help me represent you!
SmartBrief has asked us to answer two questions. I'd love to hear your answers so I can pass them along.

1. What are your favorite sources for great social media tips, news, insights--especially for our unique niche?
   
   
2. In your opinion, what’s the top area (trend, platform, tool, technology, practice, etc.) that you want to hear more about in the next 6 months?

This post is the third in a 4-part series on social media policies. In this part, we're looking at user agreements and moderation guidelines for an organization's official presence in social spaces like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. (Remember, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just laying out what I've learned from smart people like Barbara Dunn from Howe & Hutton. You should talk to your lawyer about the contents of this post before you act on it.)

What are official outposts?
Having covered unofficial outposts, let's take a look at official outposts. This is the stuff your organization officially endorses. We're not talking about your own website or blog or white-label social network--those will be covered in a later post. Rather, we're talking about third-party social websites where your organization participates, setting up an umbrella where your stakeholders gather under your name. Some example umbrellas...

• a LinkedIn group
• a Facebook group, cause or page
• a Twitter account
• a niche social network in your industry

Why the distinction between unofficial and official?
When you take on the responsibility of owning an outpost--I say owning, but really you're just subletting a space that is owned by Facebook, for example--the players and the risks change. Expectations are raised. You need to be prepared.

Who are the people your policies will affect?
Besides your employees and top volunteers, your policies will also affect citizens who have an interest in your community. I called them visitors before, but they're something more than visitors, don't you think?

What risks are you trying to mitigate?
The big ones are antitrust, defamation, and copyright infringement. Although, in a public outpost, concerns about branding, misinformation, and embarrassment can still come up. As the owner or manager of your group, page, or profile, you do have a bit more control over how you deal with all of this. Specifically, you can moderate and delete items that pose a concern.

Do you need policies for official outposts?
I should start by saying that the vast majority of groups using official outposts are operating quite comfortably without any special policies or procedures for the people who connect there. Most deal with the few problems that come up on a case-by-case basis. These organizations are showing a great deal of trust in their citizens, and they're building social capital in return.

But if you know that you have the type of group that needs special moderation, or if your leadership is especially risk-averse, there are options that a good lawyer can help you implement. The question is, can you set boundaries constructively? (Yes, it's possible.) Or will your rules and policies drive your citizens away? (Also possible.)

User agreements (terms of use)

• Know the space. Facebook has a user agreement. So does LinkedIn and Twitter. It's important to understand the agreements users (including your organization) have already accepted. The user agreements have been known to change, so you might want to keep track of them.
  
  
• Write your own. You can create a user agreement that will apply under your umbrella. Among other things, this is your chance to set expectations, to remind group members about antitrust and defamation laws, and to set grounds for removing someone from the group. There are no built-in ways to implement a user agreement on any of the major social networking sites, but you can always add a sentence like "By joining this group, you agree to abide by our community's rules, which were created to protect you," with a good landing page that lays out the specifics of the user agreement. If nothing else, you'll have a policy that you can point to, should questions arise.
  

Moderation guidelines

• Empower your employees. They need to know what kinds of posts need moderation. This is a good idea for every association operating in a social space. How do your employees respond to negative feedback? How do they respond to someone with a promotional post? How do they respond to an argument that gets heated? How do they respond if a legal issue comes up? Intel even puts their moderation guidelines right into their social media guidelines for employees. It's one simple paragraph--practically policy haiku.
  
  
• Share the guidelines with your citizens. This way, you're letting them know that you're listening, that you value their feedback, and that you're working to make the space safe for them to interact within the boundaries of the community and the law.

Questions: Do you think publishing a user agreement or moderation guidelines on your LinkedIn Group of Facebook page is a good idea? Will it help or hurt your efforts to build community? Have any of you tried it?

I'm looking for examples and would love to add them to this post!

This post is the second in a 4-part series on social media policies. In this part, we're looking at online participation policies for employees and volunteers who are active in unofficial outposts.

What are unofficial outposts?
There are social spaces on the web that your association has not officially endorsed, but where your employees, volunteers and other stakeholders are present. These are what I'm calling unofficial outposts. Here are some examples.

• an employee's personal activity on LinkedIn or Facebook
• a Ning group for a related organization
• a forum or community of practice where your employees might be honing their skill
• a personal blog where a volunteer sometimes talks about work they do with your organization.

Who are the people your policies will affect?
Well, in unofficial spaces, you can only affect the behaviour of your employees and top volunteers--members of your board, for example.

What risks are you trying to mitigate?
Misinformation, brand dilution, and embarrassment to name a few. To put a positive spin on it, the right policies could actually help you spread the right information, shape a more authentic brand, and teach your employees and volunteers how to respond positively in tricky situations.

Don't get hung up on rules.
There are a lot of concerns floating around about social media policies. But the best policies for employees and volunteers I've seen are really no more than guidelines. They point to other important policies that have to do with legal issues, but the social media guidelines themselves are written in plain language and built to encourage meaningful participation. They could even be viewed as a training document.

When you're writing them, consider how the guidelines align to your ultimate goal, to make interacting on the social web easier, more comfortable, and safer for your stakeholders. And yes--your employees are stakeholders. For example, Andy Sernovitz suggests telling everyone that using social media is OK. Andy also suggests holding company-wide auditions for potential official bloggers. You want to show your employees that you value their contributions to the social web, especially in the context of constructive discourse about your organization.

Example policies for employees:

• Sun Guidelines on Public Discourse
• Intel Social Media Guidelines
• Easter Seals Internet Public Discourse Policy (scroll to bottom of Beth's post)
• Edelman Online Behavior Policies and Procedures
  

Please share the guidelines your association has set for how employees and volunteers should interact on the social web.

Should my association have a social media policy? I get that question a lot. Short answer...yes. But what are we talking about here? This post is the first in a four-part series meant to clear up the confusion around policies that your association may need in order to make the most out of the social web.

Before we step into the world of guidelines, terms, disclaimers, and indemnity, let's agree on this. The true goal of every type of social media or web policy should be to make interacting on the social web easier, more comfortable, and safer for your stakeholders. Period. That's it. It's not about covering yourself legally, though that's a very important component. It's not about regimenting what people can say and do in the space, though again, that may be a component. As many of my A-List blogger buddies say, always start from a position of trust. Good policies give you options in case that trust is ever broken.

And as David Gammel pointed out in response to the question, "Are we creating additional risk for the association by starting a blog?" (ASAE members can see the whole article here.)

The best measure for this question is to look at your current activities and programs. Do your speakers tend to get in trouble for antitrust issues now and then? Is your field or profession highly litigious? If you have a high level of legal risk already, then blogging is likely to have the same risks. If your area of discussion is free from such risks, then blogging won’t increase them significantly.

David was talking about blogging, but the same idea applies to the multitude of other social spaces on the web. Simply stated, you need to know your members and your risk, then design your policies accordingly.

So here's how the series will likely unfold.

Part 2 - Policies for unofficial outposts
We'll explore how your organization can set guidelines that encourage your employees and volunteers to participate responsibly in the social web.

Part 3 - Policies for official outposts
(Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, other social spaces where you plant your flag)
We'll explore the relevance of terms and disclaimers in these spaces, how you might define guidelines for interaction, and how you might set guidelines for employees who are managing these spaces.

Part 4 - Policies for your homebases
(websites, blogs, internal social networks)
We'll touch on the many policies surrounding your website--terms, disclaimers, privacy, copyright, and content policies, to name a few. We'll touch on posting and commenting policies for blogs. We'll look at policies for an internal social network.

One last thing. I'm not a lawyer. To work through your policies properly, you will likely need legal council. And there are a lot of ways to approach this topic. Please share your ideas and concerns throughout the series so we can all learn more.