Social Networking Guidelines
(Facebook and other online entities)
Why
We Need Guidelines
Many Wild Ones members are thinking about setting up Facebook pages, blogs, and/or other kinds of web sites to further the interests of Wild Ones, their individual chapters, or just to express their own interest in Wild Ones-related activities and ideas. When you use the Wild Ones name, the Wild Ones logo, or any other identifying characteristics that indicate an affiliation with Wild Ones, it's important to realize that everything you do or say on your Facebook page, blog, etc. reflects on the Wild Ones organization.
The reputation of Wild Ones is important. It's important that the online entities related to Wild Ones be associated with positive statements and positions.
If you are developing a Facebook page or other online representation of Wild Ones it is essential that you observe the following guidelines. These guidelines apply to Wild Ones-related Facebook pages, blogs, web pages, etc., will help you make appropriate decisions about your Wild Ones-related online activities, and help avoid any damage to the reputation and image of Wild Ones, and help avoid jeopardizing our not-for-profit 501(c)(3) status.
Following these guidelines will also help
make your page more interesting and more inviting
for your visitors.
Rules and Guidelines
• We encourage you to use the Wild Ones logo, either the national logo or your chapter logo, as appropriate. Click here for the guidelines for using the logo and to download copies of the logo.
• It's a good idea to clarify your relationship with Wild Ones (chapter president, member, etc.), but avoid giving the impression that you are "speaking for Wild Ones."
• Other Wild Ones members may be interested in what you're doing. So please let us know about your online presence so we can mention it in the Wild Ones Journal.
• Starting conversations is good. Just making announcements may not keep people interested. Consider introducing your thoughts or your information with a question. Ask for advice. Start a friendly debate. This will keep people interested, and will make your site more interesting.
• Add interest with attachments and links. Facebook makes it especially easy to add a photo or a link that will help illustrate your comments. Take advantage.
• Monitor the activity on your page frequently, and respond to your messages, friend requests, etc. in a timely fashion. Shut down arguments, flame wars, and any interactions that you think might reflect poorly on Wild Ones.
• Confirm all friend requests, even if you don't know the person. If a problem develops later, you can always defriend or otherwise block the person later.
• Don't send out requests to everyone you know, asking them to be your "friend" or "fan." The success of your page won't be judged by how many friends you have, but by the quality of your posts and responses of your visitors.
• Get the maximum mileage from your Facebook posts by avoiding late-night posts. By the time most people are looking at their streams (in the morning), it's likely that your late-night post will already by buried by postings that were just made within the last few hours.
• Use your best judgment. Refrain from comments that could be interpreted as slurs, demeaning, inflammatory, sexually explicit, proprietary, harassing, racist, homophobic, or libelous. Avoid mentioning political affiliations and political discussions. Everyone has an opinion, and it's good to express yours, but remember that what you say will reflect upon not only your image, but the image of Wild Ones also. Use the same level of respect that you might use in a business environment.
• Complete sentences, with capitalization and punctuation will get you further than heywutuup2.
• Some content on the Wild Ones web site is meant for members only, so please don't give it away to non members.
• Don't share confidential or proprietary information about Wild Ones. This might include information about finances, workings of the board, etc.
• If you have a product or a service to sell, an occasional mention is OK, but don't use a Wild Ones-related online presence to promote your business.
• Every image and every piece of writing – on the Internet or anywhere else – is owned by someone, and is protected by federal copyright laws. Unless you have written permission from the copyright holder, do not display images, or use text copied from any source.
• Realize that you are legally liable for anything you write or present online.
In order to enforce these guidelines, Wild Ones National reserves the right to revoke permission for use of the Wild Ones logo and/or the Wild Ones name on any Facebook page, web site, blog, etc.
