6 steps to good social media governance

In a shifting landscape, marketers need to think about more than just where their social media activity appears. Proper governance is critical to reputational success.

Unless you are living “off grid”, you’ll know that right now barely a day goes by without another social media platform being placed under scrutiny. This can make it difficult for marketers to make definitive long-term decisions when it comes to social strategy. 

So how does a brand continue to thrive, be agile and uphold its brand values and reputation when the goalposts keep moving? It needs to have its social media governance right — essentially, this means having an internal rule book and processes in place. 

Brands that keep tight control of their social media accounts and actions are not only more likely to be able to consistently implement their decisions — whatever they decide — but are also more likely to avoid getting into trouble on their chosen social platforms. 

That matters because the ramifications of getting it wrong on what are public forums can be huge both in terms of reputation but also when it comes to financial results. From Bud Light to Pepsi and Balenciaga to H&M, there are a host of brands that bear the scars of losing control of their social media narrative.  

Control the chaos

Having worked with a variety of companies, in differing industries, one thing they often have in common is chaotic governance of their social channels. All too often, the chief marketing officer is not sure who to call if there was a crisis and they needed something to be taken down.  

While small, single-market brands can rely on their social media manager to keep relevant passwords in a spreadsheet, for example, multinational advertisers with multiple brands need a much more robust, secure process.  

It may not be the sexiest of topics, but it’s essential for any brand trying to take control in the complex world of social media. Here are our six starters when it comes to smarter governance that will help you do the basics brilliantly.  

Address legacy issues: Social media activity often originated in fits and starts. Sometimes driven by one person and sometimes by different teams in different markets, meaning brands can have a mess of accounts and handles around the world. Identifying and then consolidating these accounts is essential if you are to know where to activate.  

Keep all your passwords and a record of who has access to your accounts in a secure setting: Understand who has access to these accounts and who can post on them so that it’s easy to track down the right person should there be an issue. 

Have central rules and guardrails: International brands will need to allow a certain amount of leeway for local nuances and dialect, but brands should have a distinct tone of voice that’s relatively consistent in all markets. 

Rigidly enforce your category’s legal requirements: Some categories, such as finance or alcohol or food and drinks high in sugar or salt, require brands to restrict their content. This must be done both at an account and individual post level. Everyone who can post on such accounts needs to understand what they have to do to ensure that legal rules are followed. 

Monitor perceptions and behaviours of each platform: When a platform’s stance shifts and no longer aligns with your company values, as a brand you need to know which levers you can pull to reduce your exposure both in terms of content and paid inventory to mitigate risk. 

Don’t just register for every new platform: The days have gone when brands needed to get their social media handle registered on day one. In 2025 and beyond, it’s worth considering whether there’s a need for such land-grabbing. Think about what might be the role for RedNote or new rivals to X in your marketing plan before you sign up. 

Social governance matters because it enables the marketing chief to set the tone for how your brand’s marketing communications operates in real time.

With proactive social guardrails in place, the marketing team are empowered to make the right decisions and act with confidence and speed, particularly at times of crisis.  

David Styles, Social Media Lead