Today we step back from the actual blog building and concentrate on developing a Blogging Policy Document for Timex’s athlete blog. ContentRobot discusssed the importance of developing such policies in a previous post. While, we won’t reveal its actual contents here, we’ll share some of the thought behind creating the policies.

Open Communication
Company management must clearly state that they are behind the project and indicate how open they will allow the bloggers to communicate. Companies should get comfortable with people outside the public relations team writing about them. For those companies who are still squeamish, they can consider implementing a moderation plan where posts get approved before getting published live.

Legal Implications
Bloggers should be aware that certain posts can get them (and the company) in hot water. The policies should define what is not acceptable blogging. This can including posting content that could embarrass or otherwise harm the company and its executives, employees, clients, and suppliers.

Going beyond harm, bloggers need to be aware of the the rules and laws that govern defamation and obscenities, copyrights, logos and trademarks, and financial rules, for example.

Blogging Creed
By signing such a document, bloggers should do their utmost to be respectful to the company, its employees, partners, customers, and competitors. Bloggers should think about the consquences while blogging and should be encouraged to not hit that publish button if their is something the least bit offensive.

Writing Rules
This part of the document should encourage great writing. For the Timex bloggers, it offered guidelines so they will write what they know, write often, add value, get their facts straight, and that quality matters.

The Blogging Policy document can be as formal or informal as the company culture dictates. Strike a comfortable balance that appreciates the creative aspect of blogging along with the need for defining the rules that can keep your bloggers out of trouble.

Follow ContentRobot as we reveal the strategies and best practices we used when developing the Timex athlete blog and how we’d approach your business blog project.