Getting employees involved on social media may seem like a terrifying idea however one employee’s inappropriate tweet could result in a social media crisis, but a single tweet could just as easily boost an employer’s reputation.

Social media’s presence in the workplace is here to stay, especially since more than half of current college students plan on asking about social media policies when interviewing for their first jobs.

Many brands have removed rules that restrict employees from logging into social media during work hours, but most of them are missing opportunities to turn their employees into brand advocates.

Check out these three examples to see how you can take the conversations your employees have on social and turn them into something beneficial for your brand.

1. Acknowledge Acts of Kindness

Look for what your employees are doing to go above and beyond their job expectations and daily duties. Listen for stories of employees paying it forward, highlight how you appreciate your employees’ kindness on your company’s channels and in return you’ll encourage both employees and followers alike to make a difference in another person’s day.

“Employees are doing good things for your brand right now, they need to know it makes a difference,” says marketing expert Scott Stratten.

Want all of Scott’s listening advice? Get Cision’s free e-book today!

2. Showcase Collaboration

Your brand probably has an internal hub for recognizing inter-departmental achievements, but why should you keep what you accomplished secret?

By showing appreciation for other team members on social media, your brand will showcase its transparency and strong company culture. Furthermore, by using social media to recognize when your employees work together, you’ll encourage further collaboration.

3. Seek Out New Relationships

If your brand is using social listening tools to track what others are saying, chances are you’re actively looking for new opportunities to build connections. Personalize your efforts by pushing specific  employees or teams to respond to questions or concerns that involve their strengths.

Scott brings up an excellent example of how this can work in Cision’s “Listen” e-book. On a snowy day, an Eastern Kentucky University student jokingly asked the school’s president to shovel his driveway so he could get to class. Soon after, President Michael Benson replied and single-handedly removed the snow. The president’s personal response established a relationship with the student … and everyone watching the story unfold on Twitter.

About Katie Gaab
Katie Gaab is a content marketing specialist for Cision. Previously the senior editor for Help A Reporter Out (HARO), she enjoys connecting audiences to exciting, new content. She's a dancer, avid concert-goer, foreign language nerd and book worm. Find her on Twitter@kathryngaab.

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