Social Media and
Communications
Keeping it Classy in the Modern
Workplace
Written by Dallas Duncan and Dr. Frank B. Flanders
Foundation Skills, Unit 3.9, FS-3
2010
Objectives

Knowledge: Students will be
able to:





Write a professional e-mail
Evaluate the pros and cons
of social networking
Explain the importance of
inflection, and how the lack
of inflection affects the
meaning of a message
Explain why it is important
to review an online post
prior to posting
Define and discuss unit
vocabulary

Skills: Students will be able
to:


Analyze social media and
communications to
determine their
appropriateness
Communicate through email, social networking
sites, text and instant
messaging, blogs and
discussion boards in a
business-appropriate
manner
Unit Vocabulary









Attachments
Blog
Cyber Bullying
E-mail
Emoticon
Flaming
Inflection
Instant Messaging
Search Engine
Optimization









Sexting
Signature
Snail Mail
Social Networking
Social Norms
Spam
Tagline
Texting
Threads
Lesson 1:
E-mail Etiquette
E-mail Overview







Why is e-mail etiquette important when
writing or responding to an e-mail?
What is e-mailing?
How many of you use e-mail?
Why are e-mails important?
What is e-mail etiquette?
Why is e-mail etiquette important?
What makes an e-mail different from snail
mail?
Elements to Consider…

Format:








Hmmm…
Who’s
reading my
e-mail?
Keep e-mails brief
Proper grammar
Greeting
To-the-point subject
Who’s reading your e-mail?
Respond in a timely manner
When can you use humor, sarcasm, and ?
Don’t let signatures and taglines overpower your email
Signatures and Taglines



What’s the difference?
What makes a tagline offensive?
Write a sample signature and tagline:
Signature Components
Name:
Tagline Components
Company Motto:
Title:
Street Address:
Inspirational Quote:
City, State, Zip Code:
E-mail Address:
Phone Number:
Other Tagline:
Editing an E-mail


Why is editing important?
Editing Guidelines:




Gets your message across
Poor grammar can reflect poorly on the writer
Type your e-mail into a document program first to
make it easier to edit
Complete the E-mail Etiquette Activity*.
*See supplementary files for this activity
What Did You Learn?






Be careful with humor and sarcasm
Be brief, but include all pertinent information
Don’t overdo signatures and taglines
Use minimal slang and acronyms
Don’t be too informal
Don’t use all capital letters when typing
Lesson 2:
Social Networking
You, Yourself, and Your Online
Reputation






How can social networking help or hurt a
person’s reputation?
How would you define social networking?
What are some social networking sites?
Which of these sites do you use?
Why did you choose these sites?
Why do you not use social networking?
The Good


and the Bad
What are some pros and cons of social networking?
Additional examples can be found on the next
slide…
Pros
Cons
The Good

and the Bad
What are some pros and cons of social
networking?
Pros
Cons
Keep up with friends
Your friends cites may contain offensive
material
Having a Web site shows employers you’re
technologically savvy
Parents and employers can see your every
move
Anyone can use them, for free
Distraction during class and homework
time
Easy to communicate with peers and adults
Other people can post pictures of you
Breaking news is easily visible
Predators can find online profiles
It’s fun
Cyber bullying
Why Worry About Posts?


If used incorrectly, social networking can get
a user into trouble.
Examples:





Being fired for inappropriate posts or pictures
Posting rude and offensive comments
Getting caught having a house party because
someone posted pictures online
Losing insurance benefits because of postings
and pictures
Losing employment because your “friend” posted
something racist on your profile
Personal Benefits of Social
Networking







Personal “brand”
Unique username
One profile is better than none
Help to “sell” yourself to employers
Chance to practice writing
Technologically savvy
Employers get to know you
Guidelines

Some things to keep in mind…




Once something is put online, it may be there
indefinitely and be difficult to remove
Potential employers can and probably will check
your internet reputation
Employers can fire people for things posted online
What are other examples of guidelines?
If Your Grandma Won’t Like
it…


Then it shouldn’t be online!
What are some things that should not be
posted on a social networking profile?



Nudity, drugs, alcohol
Anything that could compromise your job or
insurance
Complete the Social Media Collage* activity.
*See supplementary files for this activity
Would you hire someone who had
these elements on their Facebook?
Professional Networking


Have you heard of professional networking
sites such as LinkedIn?
What are some benefits of sites like this?




Upload resumes and recommendations
Network with professionals
“Online resume” employers can see
How are these sites different from the ones
discussed previously?
What Did You Learn?


What do you think about social networking?
What one thing in this lesson made the
biggest impact on you?
Lesson 3:
Texting and Instant
Messaging
Short and Sweet (Most of the
Time)





Why is it important to be careful what you say
in a text or instant message?
What are the differences between texting and
instant messaging?
How many of you text?
How many of you use instant messaging?
Why do you use these services?
Weighing the Options


What are some pros and cons of using text and instant
messaging?
Additional examples can be found on the next slide…
Pros
Cons
Weighing the Options

What are some pros and cons of using text and
instant messaging?
Pros
Cons
Immediate communications
Can get you in trouble
Tell people something when they can’t talk
Sometimes things don’t come out right
Can ask a quick question instead of having an
entire conversation
Not everyone has the service; some cost
money
Mass information alert
Could send a text to the wrong person
 IDK my BFF Jill 


Is grammar important in text and instant
messaging?
Do you use abbreviations and emoticons?
Inflection




What is inflection?
How can inflection
change the meaning of
a face-to-face
conversation and an
electronic message?
Is voice inflection
important?
Can people tell what
you mean and how you
mean it?

Face-to-Face Inflection



Body Language
Changing your voice in
tone or volume
Electronic Inflection


Writing in all capital
letters
Putting several
punctuation marks at the
end of a sentence
Sexting


What is sexting?
Can you get in trouble
for this?
What Did You Learn?




What is the most important guideline about
texting and instant messaging?
Remember…once you’ve sent it, there’s no
going back.
Are grammar and inflection important?
Sexting can get you into trouble.
Lesson 4:
Blogs and Discussion
Boards
To Blog, or Not to Blog…





How are discussion boards and blogs forms
of social media and communication?
What is a blog?
What does it mean “to blog?”
What is a discussion board?
What are threads?
Basics of Blogging




Why have a blog or discussion board?
What kinds of blogs and discussion boards
exist?
Once you write on a discussion board or
blog, can you remove your post?
What should you not write about online, no
matter where you post it?
Lesson 5:
Ethics of Social Media
and Communication
What’s Right and What’s
Wrong?






Are there rules and consequences associated with electronic
communication?
Do you know anyone who has gotten into trouble for using social
networking sites at work?
Should social networking be used on the boss’s time?
If a company pays for you to have internet or a cell phone,
should you use them for non-work related communication?
Is it okay to post, blog, or write on a discussion board anything
regarding work-related drama at your company?
Complete the Social Media Guidelines* worksheet.
*See supplementary files for this activity
Google Yourself!




Your teachers, parents, and employers will!
How would you feel if a prospective employer
Googled you?
What are some examples of incorrect information
they could find, especially if you have a common
name?
Now you try. Google yourself and see what comes
up.


Find one example of information that is actually about you.
What page of the search is it on?
List the top five links that come up. What makes them
correct or incorrect?
Optimize Yourself!



What is Search Engine Optimization?
SEO can determine what information comes up in a
search, and in what order it appears
How can you maximize your personal SEO?




Linking your profile information to other Web sites
Create profiles on as many social networking sites as you
can
Use your first and last name on your profiles, and your
middle name or initial if you have a common name
Put your name in the title of your Web sites or blogs
How Private is Online Privacy?




How can privacy be controlled?
Why should privacy be controlled?
What are some privacy control guidelines?
Can people still view your information and
profiles, even with privacy settings?
What’s “Normal” Mean?





What is a “social norm?”
What are some examples of social norms?
How can an online posting violate a social
norm?
What impact can this have on your
reputation?
What are some examples of someone acting
outside social norms?
Do’s and Don’ts of Social
Media


List some do’s and don’ts. Which is the most important thing
to remember from each category?
Additional examples can be found on the next slide…
Do’s of Social Media
Don’ts of Social Media
Do’s and Don’ts of Social
Media

List some do’s and don’ts. Which is the most
important thing to remember from each category?
Do’s of Social Media
Don’ts of Social Media
DO check your friends’ links
DON’T list personal contact information
DO assume that whatever you write will be
seen by everyone
DON’T post anything in anger: “Post in haste,
repent in leisure”
DO be careful about how you joke online
DON’T put social media accounts on your
resume unless they’re directly related
DO post photos that won’t get you in trouble
DON’T put inappropriate things in your “about
me” or “info” sections in a profile
DO adjust privacy settings
DON’T use questionable usernames
DON’T write anything bad about your job
DON’T post inappropriate photos of you or your
friends
Lesson 6:
Social Media—Bad for
Business?
Actually, it could be good.


How can businesses use social media to their
benefit?
Advertising on social networking sites:





Facebook: Groups and fan pages
Twitter: Create an account for the company
YouTube: Upload commercials on a company “channel”
Blogs: Write entries about promotions or products
What benefits do social network advertising have for
businesses?
That’s Not All, Folks!

What are some additional benefits companies can
reap from using social media?




Able to research consumers who post product reviews on
the Web
Able to scope out competitors by looking at their social
networking sites
Increasing the number of links your site has means it will
show up higher on a search engine page
Using LinkedIn and other professional sites are cheap,
easy ways to look for prospective employees
Assessment


Exam: the following slides contain an exam
covering this PowerPoint.
Key: a key to the exam is included in the last
slides.
Unit Test
Social Media and Communication Unit Test
Name: ________________________
Date: _____________________________
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following should NOT be in a tagline?
A. Inspirational quotes
B. Racial references
C. Company motto
D. All of the above can be in a tagline
2. Which of the following are benefits of a personal social networking profile?
A. Creating a personal “brand”
B. Shows employers you’re technologically savvy
C. Free product advertising
D. A and B only
3. Search Engine Optimization…
A. Determines what information appears in what order on a search engine
B.
Means to type easily searchable phrases
C. Can be maximized by putting your name on the title of your blog
D.
A and C only
4. All of these are social networking sites except:
A. Facebook
B. LinkedIn
C. Texts from Last Night
D. YouTube
5. When writing a professional e-mail, you should consider:
A. Checking your grammar and spelling errors in a document program
B.
Who will be reading your e-mail
C. Timeliness of your response
D. All of the above
6. It is okay to post ______________ online.
A. Pictures of illegal activities, as long as they’re “inside jokes”
B. Updates complaining about your boss or job
C. A list of extracurricular activities and interests
D. Song lyrics containing rude or racist quotes
7. Which of the following are examples of inflection?
A. Body language
B. Altering the volume of your voice
C. Writing in all capital letters
D. All of the above
8. Businesses can use the following sites to advertise for free online:
A. Facebook
B. GreenDog
C. YouTube
D. A and C only
9. The following are pros of instant and text messaging EXCEPT:
A. Can ask a quick question instead of having an entire conversation
B. Mass information alert
C. Able to tell people something when they can’t talk
D. Not everyone has these services
10. The term “threads” is defined as:
A. People tied together by interest
B. A series of newsgroup messages dealing with the same subject
C. An e-mail that is sent over and over again to different people
D. Telling a story
True and False
1. ______ Always post your contact information on your social networking profiles.
2. ______ Social networking is the use of a Web space to connect with people who share some sort of interest.
3. ______ Professional networking sites let you upload a resume.
4. ______ Once you send a text message, it is gone forever and cannot be retrieved. Once you delete an e-mail, it is also gone
forever. A Web site can also be deleted and cannot be retrieved.
5. ______ On professional e-mails, always list personal contact information so your recipients can find you.
6. ______ Bulletin boards are another way to refer to discussion boards.
7. ______ Electronic communication and social media have changed the atmosphere of the modern business environment.
8. ______ Sexting is a criminal offense punishable by law.
9. ______ It is easy to tell when something on an e-mail is a joke.
10. ______You cannot be fired for anything posted online, because it is protected under the First Amendment.
Short Answer
1. Define the term “flaming” and give an example.
2. List three benefits social media can have for businesses other than advertising.
3. Create a personal e-mail signature in the space below using the guidelines and all parts discussed in class.
4. List three items that should not be posted on an online profile.
5. Describe three pros and three cons of using a personal social networking site.
Pros
Cons
6. What are two of the ethical concerns about social media?
7. Explain the difference between the noun and verb forms of the word “blog.”
8. Choose three of the social media sites talked about in the unit and explain how businesses can use them to advertise to their
benefit. Be specific.
9. Explain why inflection is important in communication.
10. Suppose a personnel director comes to class as a guest speaker. They say, “If you apply at most companies you will be
Googled.” What does that mean? Explain.
Key
Social Media and Communication Unit Test
Name: ________________________
Date: _____________________________
Multiple Choice
1.Which of the following should NOT be in a tagline?
A. Inspirational quotes
B. Racial references
C. Company motto
D. All of the above can be in a tagline
2. Which of the following are benefits of a personal social networking profile?
A. Creating a personal “brand”
B. Shows employers you’re technologically savvy
C. Free product advertising
D. A and B only
3. Search Engine Optimization…
A. Determines what information appears in what order on a search engine
B.
Means to type easily searchable phrases
C. Can be maximized by putting your name on the title of your blog
D.
A and C only
4. All of these are social networking sites except:
A. Facebook
B. LinkedIn
C. Texts from Last Night
D. YouTube
5. When writing a professional e-mail, you should consider:
A. Checking your grammar and spelling errors in a document program
B.
Who will be reading your e-mail
C. Timeliness of your response
D.
All of the above
6. It is okay to post ______________ online.
A. Pictures of illegal activities, as long as they’re “inside jokes”
B. Updates complaining about your boss or job
C. A list of extracurricular activities and interests
D. Song lyrics containing rude or racist quotes
7. Which of the following are examples of inflection?
A. Body language
B. Altering the volume of your voice
C. Writing in all capital letters
D. All of the above
8. Businesses can use the following sites to advertise for free online:
A. Facebook
B. GreenDog
C. YouTube
D. A and C only
9. The following are pros of instant and text messaging EXCEPT:
A. Can ask a quick question instead of having an entire conversation
B. Mass information alert
C. Able to tell people something when they can’t talk
D. Not everyone has these services
10. The term “threads” is defined as:
A. People tied together by interest
B. A series of newsgroup messages dealing with the same subject
C. An e-mail that is sent over and over again to different people
D. Telling a story
True and False
11. ___F___ Always post your contact information on your social networking profiles.
12. ___T___ Social networking is the use of a Web space to connect with people who share some sort of interest.
13. ___T___ Professional networking sites let you upload a resume.
14. ___F___ Once you send a text message, it is gone forever and cannot be retrieved. Once you delete an e-mail, it is also
gone forever. A Web site can also be deleted and cannot be retrieved.
15. ___T____ On professional e-mails, always list personal contact information so your recipients can find you.
16. ___T___ Bulletin boards are another way to refer to discussion boards.
17. ___T___ Electronic communication and social media have changed the atmosphere of the modern business
environment.
18. ___T___ Sexting is a criminal offense punishable by law.
19. ___F___ It is easy to tell when something on an e-mail is a joke.
20. ___F___ You cannot be fired for anything posted online, because it is protected under the First Amendment.
Short Answer
Answers may vary. Here are some suggested answers.
1. Define the term “flaming” and give an example.
Flaming is a term for venting emotion or sending inflammatory e-mails.
Example: “This project sucks! This teacher needs to get a life!”
2. List three benefits social media can have for businesses other than advertising.
Able to research consumers who post things on Web sites
Businesses can research competitors by looking at their Web sites
The number of links your site has, the higher it will appear on a search engine
Using professional sites is a way to find employees
3. Create a personal e-mail signature in the space below using the guidelines and all parts discussed in class.
Name: Anne Bradley
Title: Language Arts Teacher
Street Address: 5066 Balderdash Court
City, State, Zip: Evans, GA 30889
E-mail Address: ABradley@Yahoo1.com
Phone Number: 706-334-3218
4. List three items that should not be posted on an online profile.
Photos of nudity, alcohol or drug use
Racist, rude, or offensive comments, remarks, or “wall posts”
Updates posted during work hours
Photos taken on your “sick days” while you were actually on vacation
Photos of you doing something hazardous to your health
5. Describe three pros and three cons of using a personal social networking site.
Pros
Cons
Immediate communications
Can get you in trouble
Tell people something when they can’t talk
Sometimes things don’t come out right
Can ask a quick question instead of having an entire
conversation
Not everyone has the service; some cost money
Mass information alert
Could send a text to the wrong person
6. What are two of the ethical concerns about social media?
Should social networking sites be used at work or on the boss’s time?
If a company pays for you to have a cell phone or the internet, should you use them to send non-work related
communications?
Is it okay to post, blog, or discuss on a discussion board anything about work-related drama at your company?
7. Explain the difference between the noun and verb forms of the word “blog.”
Noun: A blog is a Web site that displays postings by one or more individuals in chronological order. It can also show
links to comments.
Verb: Blogging means to write entries in or maintain a blog.
8. Choose three of the social media sites talked about in the unit and explain how businesses can use them to advertise to
their benefit. Be specific.
Facebook: Groups and fan pages
Twitter: Create an account for your company
YouTube: Upload commercials on a company “channel”
Blogs: Write entries about new products and promotions
9. Explain why inflection is important in communication.
Body language and voice alteration in tone and volume make it easy to tell a person’s meaning in face-to-face
conversations
Because social media communication doesn’t allow for the use of body language and voice, it is harder to determine a
person’s meaning
Emoticons can allow for some indication of humor and joking, but not everyone understands how to use them
10. Suppose a personnel director comes to class as a guest speaker. They say, “If you apply at most companies you will be
Googled.” What does that mean? Explain.
Companies will use Google searches to find profiles and information about prospective employees
The idea of being Googled is what makes Search Engine Optimization important—you want to get the most
accurate and reputable information about you online for employers to see
If a company sees something unflattering about you on a Google search, they might not hire you.