How do you handle negativity, privacy, branding, security on Facebook? Thanks to a reader who asked these questions about Facebook and their business. Have IRL [in real life] questions you need answered? Leave them in the comment box, text 630.207.7530 or email corywestmedia @gmail.com.
1. How do we manage negative feedback about our product/services?
Monitor comments, respond immediately online and contact personally. Most blogs give you the option of approving all comments before they go up. On Facebook, you can delete comments on your page. The biggest concern here is not monitoring mentions. You can almost always reply. If you don’t then there’s a comment out there against you.
2.How do team members manage security of their personal information vs. business information?
Set profile views to friends or connections only. Companies may choose not to list employees in their profile. Employees will show up automatically on a LinkedIn company profile. People may choose not to list their employer on Facebook or twitter.
Educate your team members on how to protect their privacy with resources like these USA Today on Facebook privacy and Facebook on privacy.
3. From a business ethics perspective, how do we keep from telling team members what they can or cannot put on their Facebook profile (which might be viewed by people coming to the company site?)
Unless team members are listed on the company fan page, people will need to search the company name to see who’s profile it pops up in. If the team member has an open profile, yes, everyone can see it. You really can’t control what people post on personal social media platforms. You may want to offer some suggestions like the ones in this Tech Republic article on Facebook company policies. You may want to let them know how much information they can share that relates to accounts, clients and business practices.
4.There is concern about the amount of time it takes to keep the site relevant. Who manages it?
Depending on how active your company wants to be, managing social site interaction can take as little as a few hours a week to a few hours every day. For most companies, having a main communicator and an alternate works. You can also share the responsibilities; having a consistent strategy will save time and be more effective.
5.What about the time management issue of team members spending business hours on personal Facebook?
Ask your team members for their input and think about giving them time for a social media break here and there. They can help monitor and report what’s going on within their own personal networks.
6.As for team members establishing their own personal Facebook “brand”, which face do we show our business audience? Our personal brand or the company brand?
ersonal and professional are merging into a hybrid approach. Presenting an online persona requires some thought and strategy. It’s okay to block off personal information from your business site. Every update reflects on you, personally and professionally.
Images: owl on van [in my driveway 01.18.10] copyright 2010 Barbara Rozgonyi. All rights reserved.
Your turn: How do your protect your privacy while promoting your personal brand on Facebook – or any other social media platform?
Online you can be anyone you want to be. Not that you should, but you can. 
