Blogs provide a great outlet for sharing your passions and demonstrating your expertise. But, they can also put you at odds with your employer if you don’t follow some important guidelines. So, how do you keep your day job? Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind.
1.) No trash talking – I’ve never met a company that’s keen on employees trash-talking the organization or their fellow coworkers. Even if you’re certain your boss doesn’t subscribe to your feed, she just might stumble on your dirty-laundry post one day and then what? It’s best to keep your grievances (no matter how minor they may seem) to yourself, or if you must, air them privately to your closest friends and family. This rule applies to all online forums. Don’t believe me? This Mashable post might change your mind.
2.) Show self respect - Not a bad idea to avoid discussing that crazy keg party you attended or all those random hookups you had in college. Keep in mind that content lives online forever and can be discovered by your current or even a potential future employer. What kind of personal brand do you want to promote?
3.) Post on your own time - Let’s face it: maintaining a blog and keeping it fresh with content takes a lot of time. Just make sure it’s your own time. If you’re writing and posting at work, people will notice — not to mention, those little time stamps after each post can be damning.
4.) Include a disclaimer – A blog sharing family photos or discussing your trip to San Francisco is one thing. But if your blog focuses on a topic that’s work-related, it’s a good idea to include a disclosure that clearly states that your opinions are your own and do not reflect the opinions of your employer or coworkers. Here are a few examples from Shannon Paul and Lindsay Olson. But just remember, even the best disclaimer won’t prevent someone from linking you to your company, so use common sense.
5.) Hands off customers and clients - It’s generally best to leave your employer’s customers or clients out of your commentary. Even if you plan to write a glowing post, it’s a slippery slope. Best to avoid it altogether.
6.) Watch out for conflicts of interest - If you work for a company that makes digital cameras, it’s probably best not to post a bunch of reviews of competitors’ products, or worse, take sponsorships from other camera companies.
Of course you need to use your own discretion, but these are a few tips that can help you stay in your employer’s good graces.
Are there any guidelines I’ve missed? Let me know.
Photo Credit: Slworking2
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