Social media marketing has become a major source of one-on-one marketing as well as a means for developing backlinks while making campaigns go “viral.” The importance of developing campaign goals and objectives remains, as does the need to target your audience accordingly.

The informal nature of social media must be monitored. Your brand is represented through the actions of each of your employees. While you may not view those employees as the official mouthpiece of your company, your audience might.

Effective social media campaigns must balance the fun, informal, social aspect of the medium with the need to remain professional. Think of social media as an after hour trade association mixer. Would you jump on the bar and scream obscenities, all the while with your company logo on your t-shirt? I hope not.

Clearly social media presents some dangers to your brand. Behind your computer you may feel invincible. It may be tempting to voice your true opinions if you are having a bad day. Your best bet, however, is to immediately log off your social media accounts and steer clear of any damaging remarks. Once posted, those remarks become indicative of your brand.

Although an employee may not be an official brand ambassador, they may be perceived as such from an outside perspective. Below are some topics to avoid when representing your company officially or unofficially.

1. Negative Comments about Company or Products
Individuals often voice their frustrations about work and coworkers. While these types of conversations are normal with friends after hours, posting comments such as “my coworkers are idiots” or “this company is such a waste of time” might not be the best use of your employees’ time during company hours. Monitoring your employees’ accounts, without being a control freak, is advisable. Official company guidelines may help, but balance the need for control with the need for employees to enjoy themselves.

2. Confidential Information
News and commentary spreads quickly through the social media networks. Update confidentiality agreements to include social media. A mindless slip from one coworker to another is connected to the rest of the world. Make sure your employees are not using social media for discussing proprietary work-related items.

3. Competitor Name Calling
No one likes mean-spirited individuals; in your case, this individual may be representative of the company. Whether this is true or not, it’s worthwhile to ensure your employees are not degrading the competition. Within the global environment, situations change quickly and your competition may become  a key ally. Competitiveness is encouraged, but there is a line between fun competition and inappropriate commentary. Additionally, modesty and respect are admirable qualities worth achieving.

4. Inter-office Gossip
The tendency to gossip is everywhere. Your employees see each other more often than they see their families. Different personalities forced to coexist can cause friction. Inter-office gossip and drama should be kept off social media. As representatives of your brand, your employees embody the true personality of the company. Companies which try to foster team work and successfully manage internal turmoil are better equipped to avoid negative branding via social media. You don’t need to hold pep rallies and turn the office into a cheer leading squad, but management should be aware of internal conflicts and be trained to respond to damaging situations.

Social media is supposed to be fun, but your company’s brand must be managed and monitored closely. An internal approach of respect toward employees is a positive step toward embodying a responsible brand.