Social media is an informal space, so we need to talk to people in a way that doesn't feel out of place or overly formal. To do this you can think about how you communicate when texting people and using social media yourself and draw on this when developing your responses. We’re not authority figures, we’re peers with a bit more information than them. We speak to people in a friendly manner but we’re not their friends.
Below are two general rules of thumb for communication on social media, however so much of communication style is dependent on cultural context, so the below guidelines should be examined for appropriateness for your context and audience.
1. Using emojis
Emojis set us apart and reflect what we’re like as people (friendly, modern, empathetic, and approachable). Here’s some rules for using them:
- Identify if using emojis in your Signpost instance is appropriate: While emojis can add a personable element to our interaction with users, they are not appropriate for every Signpost instance. Before committing to using emojis please check with your teammates.
- Use emojis to add context, not replace words: Don’t use emojis to replace words, instead use them to add flavour and context to our conversations.
- Think about the situation you're using an emoji in and how it may be perceived: Think about how people will feel getting this news, and which emojis (if any) will help get the right message across. Make sure you consider individual users and our wider audience.
- Mirror our users' speech: If they’re using emojis in their communications, use them back. But if not, it might be better to steer clear. Remember that different groups may use emojis differently, just like they use their languages differently.
2. Using the Unified Voice
Speak to users as your Signpost instance, by using the word “we”. This means saying “We don’t know” instead of “I don’t know.”’ As with emojis, unified voice is not appropriate for every context or Signpost instance. Please check with your teammates about using the unified voice.
3. Transparency
Transparency shows our users that we respect them and are accountable to them. This means being clear about what we know, what we don’t know, who our sources are and how long we’ll take to get back to someone’s question. We don’t hide behind ambiguity. For example, when you don’t know the answer to a question say something like this:
- “Hey there, thanks for getting in touch. We don’t have an answer to your question at the moment. We’ll check with an expert and get back to you as soon as we can. This shouldn’t take longer than a week.”
And then do what you say we will - by checking with the Editorial Team and getting back to the user within the timeframe you said you would.