Hamilton’s Fruit Tree Nursery & More
Social and Ethical Guidelines
Disclaimer:
All employees of Hamilton’s Fruit Tree Nursery and More must follow and practice popper etiquette when conducting interactions and content on social media. Along with any communications via email, text or any other forms of communication. These guidelines are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Please consult an attorney to obtain legal advice regarding your specific situation.
Introduction:
Social media and other forms of communication are used on a daily basis here at Hamiton Fruit. Often when interacting or posting, it is important to have an understanding of the boundaries of what is ethically correct to post under Hamilton Fruit. While comments from other users can be inappropriate, it is important for those that are replying to these comments to stay within these guidelines to stay within the ethics of Hamilton’s Fruit Tree Nursery. According to Steve James, “ Within a business, it is their responsibility to build a positive identity for their brand. If policies are not put into place, employees could be free to share anything to anyone.” Since social media and other forms of communication are always on 24/7, it is imperative to follow the morals that Hamilton Fruit has set no matter the day and time. Employees need to be respectful within and outside of the business, on social media and in-person interactions.
Must Do’s For Posting on Social Media:
- Grammatically correct statements
- All content must be organic
- Photos/Videos must be produced at Hamilton Fruit
- Only light editing, no major alterations to visuals
- Limit to only 1–3 Emoji’s
Must Do’s When Interacting With Customers:
- Do not engage in harassing the customer based on their comment/message
- No inappropriate messaging with the customer
- Be honest with the customer
- Posts and comments can not be misleading to the customer. This can result in major mistakes a backlash. According to Rob Dube, “Another part of the policy is that you can’t share content where you are misleading people.” Posting misleading information can damage Hamilton Fruit’s brand image overall.
- Do not make any promises
- Do not accept any type of compensation or trade for influencer marketing
Examples of Improper Social Media Usages:
- Engaging with the customer in an inappropriate conversation
- Lying about a product or service
- Using other forms of visuals not owned by Hamilton Fruit
- Failure to establish paid content
- Editing an image to alter the actual product
Example of a Proper Social Media Post:
In this post these are the elements that follow the guidelines:
- Grammatically correct caption
- Proper use of emoji’s
- A hashtag is used
- Call to action
- Link to website
With this post on Hamilton Fruit’s Facebook, it uses two pictures that are Hamilton Fruit’s stock. These pictures were taken at the nursery, therefore it is owned by Hamilton Fruit. Two emojis are used to get the attention of the customer to add an extra visual to break up the caption. A hashtag is used to group all of the nursery posts together by using the hashtag, #HamitltonFruit. At the end of the post, a link to purchase is then added. With adding this link it will take customers to the right webpage to then make a purchase.
This post also follows the ethics and guidelines that are set for what is needed to post for social media.
By following these ethics and guidelines it will help all employees perform well on and off social media. According to Caroline Forsey, “Fortunately, if done correctly, a social media policy won’t ruin the creative freedom you’re hoping to protect. If anything, it will enable your employees to feel more comfortable amplifying your social media messages on their own channels, knowing each post is fully aligned with your business’s values and tone.” By practicing these guidelines it will enhance communication between employees and customers. Plus the overall outlook of Hamilton Fruit as a brand. Social media is a powerful tool and having guidelines will make sure Hamilton’s Fruit Tree Nursery & More is following the proper ethics and guidelines.
References:
Dube, Rob. “Why Ethics Matter for Social Media, Silicon Valley and Every Tech Industry Leader.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Jan. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/robdube/2021/01/14/why-ethics-matter-for-social-media-silicon-valley-and-every-tech-industry-leader/?sh=30d9d92a16f2.
Forsey, Caroline. “5 Noteworthy Examples of Corporate Social Media Policies.” HubSpot Blog, 23 Apr. 2020, https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/29441/5-noteworthy-examples-of-corporate-social-media-policies.aspx.
James, Steve. “Social Media Ethics: Why You Should Have a Policy.” Social Media Today, 1 Apr. 2012, https://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/social-media-ethics-why-you-should-have-policy.
