What have companies been doing in response to tough economic times? Eating their feelings with lots of ice cream. Well, believe it or not, many companies have been busy digging into social media — and some are finding hidden treasure. According to a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,500 employers and 4,400 workers, 35 percent of companies have been using social media to promote their company in some way. Let’s take a look!

Of this 35 percent of companies:

• One-quarter (25 percent) of these employers said that they are using social media to connect with clients and find new business.
• 21 percent are using it to recruit and research potential employees.
• 13 percent are using social media to strengthen their employment brand.

And it’s not just those Fortune 500 companies getting into social media, either. Businesses of all sizes and industries report using social media to promote their companies:

• 29 percent of organizations with 500 or fewer employees
• 38 percent of companies with 501 to 1,000 employees
• 44 percent of companies with more than 1,000 workers

• The leisure and hospitality industry topped those surveyed, with 57 percent in that industry saying they use social media to promote their business. Leisure and hospitality was followed by 48 percent in the IT industry, 43 percent in the retail industry, and 41 percent in the sales industry saying the same.

Managing your company’s social media strategy

So, a lot of businesses — of all sizes — are trying their hand at social media. The bigger question (and the one some of  you may be asking yourselves) is, how are businesses managing all of this? We know involvement in social media doesn’t happen magically; it takes people and time and dedication. And, judging by survey results, there’s no one way of doing it:

• 43 percent of employers report that their marketing department handles social media outreach
• 26 percent say public relations handles it
• 19 percent report that human resources does it.

How many people are involved? (Enter “How many social media experts does it take to fix a light bulb” joke here):

• One-quarter (25 percent) of employers have 1 – 3 people communicating on behalf of their organization.
• 11 percent said that more than six people communicate for their company via social media.
• 7 percent report that 4 – 5 people handle the work.

The most troubling stat? A whopping 57 percent said they didn’t know how many people were involved in managing their company’s social media strategy (and I’m guessing many didn’t know who was doing it, either). While this may be common, it’s important for companies to have a plan before they jump headfirst into social media (and if you’ve already made that jump, it’s never too late to clean up your process). You might want to check out our social media e-book that covers the A to Zs of social media for businesses, and then, when you need a quick refresher, read about best practices for using social media for recruitment.

A word on risks and guidelines

Some businesses are avoiding social media altogether because of potential risks involved, but as research has shown, the perceived risks don’t outweigh the proven rewards — and people are going to talk about your company whether you have a social media presence or not (hint: it’s better to be involved in social media so you can listen, participate and respond). If you have a plan, set realistic goals, and create social media guidelines, you can minimize those risks even further. Social media guidelines not only help you set up and communicate company expectations of social media use to your staff, but also encourage learnings and knowledge about best practices. There’s a full list of companies’ social media policies here for you to reference.

What do workers want?

Workers report that they’re using social media to do more than connect with friends; they’re also using it to research jobs and companies. Want to get inside workers’ heads to find out what they don’t like about your social media use — and what will make them flock to your company’s pages on social media sites? You’re in luck: CareerBuilder’s survey talked to more than 4,400 workers and got all the juicy details:

What workers most want to see on a company’s page on social media sites:

• Job listings (35 percent)
• Q&A or fast facts about the organization (26 percent)
• Information about career paths within the organization (23 percent)
• Evidence that working at the company is fun (16 percent)
• Employee testimonials (16 percent)
• Pictures of company events (12 percent)
• Video of new products/services (10 percent)
• Company awards (9 percent)
• Research or studies that the company has conducted (9 percent)
• Videos of a day on the job (8 percent)

Workers’ biggest turnoffs when encountering a company on social media sites:

• Including the company’s communication reading like an ad (38 percent)
• Failure to reply to questions (30 percent)
• Failure to regularly post information (22 percent)
• Removing or filtering public comments (22 percent)

What can employers take from this?

By knowing what the people potentially interested in your company want, you can start making your company pages more engaging and interactive (some great tips here).You might get some great inspiration by reading about what companies like Old Spice did to engage social media users, or you might take a closer look at your own company story to find a unique way to speak to job seekers on their level and tell your story.

It may also be wise to read up on social media recruitment etiquette to learn how to play nice with other businesses, stay away from the social media traps many businesses fall into, and avoid backlash from candidates and even your own employees (ahem, avoid being one of those businesses thought of in the “workers’ biggest turnoffs” above).  It’s clear that workers don’t want to talk to a boring, “corporate,” faceless brand — so use the information above to hear what they’re saying and inject a little extra personality into your online brand.

There’s etiquette for many things in life, from bathroom use (put the toilet seat down after you use it), to public transportation (don’t clip your toenails or demonstrate your newest yoga moves on a crowded train), to, uh, fashion. However, we all have different opinions on what the proper etiquette is for any given situation (see toilet seat example).

Despite our differing opinions, it’s helpful to have a base of etiquette from which to start. As an employer, you need to know how to play nicely in the online space. Learning the difference between good online etiquette – and lack thereof – will help you avoid the backlash from candidates and even your own employees. With this in mind, we’re offering a few tips and guidelines to start your company on the right track in your social media interactions (or get you back on track).

Everyone’s Doing It

Well, yeah, that may be true – or at least it’s starting to seem that way. Even President Obama has (technically) sent his first “tweet,” via The American Red Cross Twitter account. If you’re still wondering how and when to jump into the social media waters, read our posts on Ten Steps to Getting Started with Social Media and our Top 10 Best Practices for Using Social Media as a Recruitment Tool.

11 Social Media Etiquette Guidelines to Keep in Mind:

1. Be aware.
Be cognizant of everything going on around you in the online space. Set up Google alerts about your company, stay on top of sites like Facebook and Twitter, and pay attention to blog comments. What is your company’s reputation in the online space? Do you know? You should know what people are saying about you as soon as it happens.

2.  Own up to your mistakes — and address them.
Businesses make mistakes, but with news spreading on sites like Twitter mere seconds after an event occurs, more important than the mistakes themselves is often how a business handles the resolution — in other words, how they reach out and communicate the issue to the public.

After two Domino’s pizza employees were charged with delivering prohibited food after posting their actions on YouTube, the President of Domino’s USA, Patrick Doyle, responded quickly and spoke candidly with his own video. A temporary Twitter account, @dpzinfo, was created to address concerns, interact, thank customers, and help to rebuild the company’s reputation post-scandal. Currently, the new @dominos Twitter account is very active and engaged.

3. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want broadcast to the universe.
Because by posting in the Internet, well, that’s essentially what you’re doing. Refrain from posting anything that you wouldn’t want your candidates, employees, mother, father, kids, or boss to read; remember, as an employee representing your company — or as someone communicating directly as your company spokesperson — everything you do and say reflects on the business. Employers may be more notorious for complaining about their employers, but there are plenty of things higher-ups can do to cause controversy and trouble in the online space.

4. Transparency is key.
Speaking of controversy in the online space, it’s vital to be up-front about your intentions and transparent about who you are when interacting via social media sites (or anywhere, for that matter). Take the example of Honda manager of product planning, Eddie Okubo, who wrote about the Honda Crosstour on Honda’s Facebook page as if he wasn’t involved with Honda himself. He not only suffered backlash from others, but he represented Honda unfairly, creating a negative situation for the company and forcing them to take action.

5. Play in your own sandbox.
The “write what you know” adage definitely applies here. Be current, relevant, and relay company news and ideas in a tone that’s comfortable for your business. Find your own voice, and speak to the things your business knows and is passionate about.  The best way to be interesting and garner followers is to be interesting yourself. Offer original content, respond to others’ comments and questions, and share ideas. And hey — have fun while you’re at it! Social media is meant to encourage relationships — while you should use best judgment, it’s not a prison sentence.

6. Respect others.
It should go without saying, but don’t ever use racial or ethnic slurs, slam others with personal insults and obscenities or engage in conduct that would not be acceptable in the workplace or anywhere else. Remember to be considerate of other people’s sensitivities to certain topics like politics or religion, too.

7. Don’t talk about the competition.
Rather than be negative about your competitors, focus on your company’s positives and work on building relationships with candidates, employees, and customers by your own merits. There’s no need to bash another company; it only makes your company appear petty and defensive — and it may turn people off to your business.

8. Don’t pick fights.
If you see your company represented in an unfavorable light, disagree with someone’s opinion, or think a member of the media, an analyst or a blogger has misrepresented your company, do not get defensive. Check with your leadership to see what their response is, if any.  If they choose not to respond, but give you the OK to do so, be factual and respectful in your response.

9. Keep private information private.
Keep internal e-mail, documents and information confidential. Include a disclaimer when necessary. Remember that public blogs are just that: public. Don’t use a public forum as an intranet.

10. Teach your own employees about social media. As Cristóbal Conde, president and CEO of SunGard, points out in a recent New York Times article, everyone in a company has access to information now; not just leadership. That shouldn’t stop at social media. After all, your employees are likely tweeting and Facebooking away anyway, so it makes sense to get everyone on the same page, encourage learnings and knowledge about best practices, and also make employees aware of any social media policies you have as a company.

“While the decision to post videos, pictures, thoughts, experiences, and observations to social networking sites is personal, a single act can create far-reaching ethical consequences for individuals as well as organizations,” said Sharon Allen of Deloitte. “Therefore, it is important for executives to be mindful of the implications and to elevate the discussion about the risks associated with it to the highest levels of leadership.”

11. Think before you hit “post.”
Bottom line: Before commenting in a public forum, remember that you are representing your company. Join online groups on social or professional networking sites with care, and use your head. The rest will fall into place.

Additional resources to check out:

• Twitter has created a great guide called Twitter 101 for Business; this is a helpful starting point for new Twitter users, or a useful way to brush up on your company’s current Twitter use. Pass it around the office.

• Don’t know how to create a social media policy, or need ideas on what’s right for your particular company culture? See the social media policies of over 100 other companies on Social Media Governance.

Any social media etiquette tips to add to the list?