For many, social networking seems complicated, mysterious,intimidating and even a bit scary. While the social Web is a hottopic, it is not new. Many activities on social networking are nodifferent than the real-life activities we have engaged in most ofour lives. If you have ever asked for or given advice, given orreceived a recommendation, shared an experience, collaborated on aproject, or interacted with a group: You have participated insocial networking.

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to speak withagencies, brokers and carriers who are building a strategies andstarting to embark on social Web journeys. The growing popularityof social networking has attracted their attention and usersbelieve these platforms open new business opportunities. Theyrecognize the rapid rise in the Main Street acceptance of socialnetworking and see more insurance customers continuing to migrateonline and adopt social networking to do research and buyinsurance. These pioneer agencies are discovering its value as anessential tool for communication, customer engagement, leadgeneration, real-time customer contact, customer service, customerinteraction and relationship building.

But it's also true that the opportunity presented by the socialWeb is not without risk. Insurance organizations have legitimateconcerns about issues such as privacy, errors and omissions,security, and protecting proprietary information. They areconcerned how employees “behave” online and the image they projectwhen representing their organizations. I have found that creating asocial Web policy is a invaluable strategy in dealing with theseissues and in gaining management acceptance.

It is only good management to deploy a social Web policy thatclearly stipulates what is and isn't permissible when employees arepresenting themselves as representatives of your organization. Manyorganizations already have guides outlining Internet and e-mailuse. For these businesses, tweaking these policies or addingguidelines covering use and proper etiquette when using the socialWeb may suffice.

Some organizations have chosen to avoid the social Webaltogether by blocking any access, or have banned its use in theworkplace. On the other end of the spectrum are companies with openpolicies that encourage employee participation in the social Weband have guides as simple as “act intelligently” when engagingthere. There is no one size fits all. Your company culture andmanagement philosophy will to a large extent determine the detailof your policy guidelines and the level of the restrictions placedon the behavior of employees when using the social Web.

Before you write social Web guidelines, decide where yourcompany stands on both social Web participation and managing andmonitoring employee use.

It is not enough to create guidelines; they also must beproperly implemented and managed. Management must take the lead asa participant, as well as a supporter. Beginning from a position oftrust is a good starting point. Also, as obvious as it might seem,successful implementation of a social Web policy relies oncommunicating that policy and training agency personnel in theproper use of social Web tools.

To get started, assemble a cross-departmental team to assessthese issues, understand the opportunities and then manage therisk.

Want more help? ACT (The Agents Council for Technology)published a Social Web Policy Guide and compiled a set of resourcesto help agencies write their own social Web policy at www.iiaba.net.Nvigate to Member Resources and click on Agents Council forTechnology.