SLA Silicon Valley Chapter Twitter Use Policy
Twitter is a microblogging service designed for sending short messages (140 characters or less) via the Web, with people being able to “follow” (subscribe to) the Twitter accounts of associations, companies or people. Think of it as something between the very short status messages of instant messaging programs and longer blog entries.
Silicon ValleyChapter leadership envisions our use of Twitter in several ways – as a means of communicating within our Chapter, publicizing news about Chapter members too short for blog entries, publicizing programs and other Chapter activities beyond the membership, as a means of soliciting your input, etc.
The Silicon Valley Chapter blog is already configured as a feed to our Twitter account. Short entries from the blog are being “tweeted” and you are invited to retweet if you are a Twitter user. We look forward to further enhancements to our various communications channels with this advent of Twitter.
The following are endorsed by Silicon Valley Chapter leadership as appropriate uses for the chapter’s Twitter account.
- Branding. For chapter use Twitter can be used to build our brand. It can establish the chapter as a social and professional entity. It can be used to get traffic to the chapter website and / or blog.
- Find Prospects. Twitter can be used as a means to find potential members. Tweet about chapter events and solicit input and conversation from folks outside the membership.
- Set Up Meetings / Event Updates. Twitter can be used by the chapter to organize and/or announce formal or impromptu meetings. Use Twitter as a means to inform event participants about latest event happenings/changes.
- Acquire Votes. Solicit votes on Board, programming, event decisions.
- Broadcast News. The chapter can use Twitter to link followers to useful sites or articles and can be a source of scoops and alternative news.
- Provide Live coverage. Use Twitter to provide real-time commentary on chapter- and professionally relevant events.
- Get Feedback. Use Twitter to send a link related to blog posts or events in order to solicit feedback or recommendations. This will enable the chapter to elicit alternative perspectives or courses of action from chapter members and beyond. Such collective intelligence can potentially be used as fodder for articles or projects.
All communications should follow strict professional and ethical practices, using common sense, honesty and fair play in forming statements. Negative behavior is not acceptable.
Approved by the SLA Silicon Valley (San Andreas Chapter), Board June 2010
