Why Every Business Needs a Social Media Policy Before You Get Fined by the FTC!

Well before the current frenzy over “tweets gone wild,” Joe Barnes walked into businesses, for profits and non-profits, and would ask: “What’s your social media policy?” The usual response was: We don’t have one, or “Go talk to marketing about that.” In his travels he realized that nearly every business and organization he walked into, no matter what size, did not have a written social media policy, nor did they clearly understand or even know what the Federal Trade Commission requires in the way of disclosure. That’s why he wrote his book: “Social Media Ethics Made Easy: How to Comply with FTC Disclosure Requirements.” The book is available from Business Expert Press or on Amazon. Our host today is Matthew Cummings.About our guest: Joe BarnesJoe is a full-time faculty lecturer in marketing, business communications, and social/digital/mobile marketing at the Albers School of Business & Economics at Seattle University. He also consults for businesses and nonprofits nationwide with the business DIGITAL3000.NET, and he has had a long-term relationship with the West Virginia University Integrated Marketing Communications program, starting as an adjunct several years ago, and doing presentations at past INTEGRATE conferences. In 2014, Joe was one of two instructors voted by students to receive the prestigious Alexia Vanides Online Teaching Award. His background includes over 20 years of senior level journalism leadership experience as well as havingconsulted over 75 businesses and nonprofits nationwide in marketing and strategic communications. He has been quoted in two books and is the author of a new book: “Social media Ethics Made Easy: How to Comply with FTC Disclosure Requirements.” Under his leadership in journalism KOMO-TV in Seattle received the coveted Edward R. Murrow award for outstanding journalism.