How to be inclusive on social media
Download our new guide to ensure your social posts align with diversity, equity and inclusion.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has become more embedded in organizations following a social justice movement that began in earnest last year.
Some organizations have hired DE&I officers, changed hiring practices, created ERG groups and much more. But one important communications channel that shouldn’t be overlooked is social media. Ignore DE&I in this visible way at your organization’s peril.
An inclusive social media strategy is much more than posting images with a mix of racial and gender identities. There are subtleties in how you showcase your organization’s commitment that goes beyond lip service.
This Executive Summary of Best Practices for Inclusive Social Media from Ragan’s Social Media Leadership Council is packed with real-word examples from The Cleveland Cavaliers, Cisco and more.
Posting a hashtag or plain black squares to Instagram during the Black Lives Matter movement doesn’t cut it, says Kevin Clayton, vice president of diversity, inclusion and community engagement for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Anything you do in social media has to connect to what you stand for,” he says.
The key, Clayton says, is to align language in a post that is similar to the language the organization has used in other statements about DE&I efforts.
This report will guide you on how to foster conversations and empathy to heighten inclusivity, review posts through a diversity lens, and how to raise and represent other voices.
You’ll learn:
- Why you need to connect social media posts to company DE&I initiatives
- How to review posts for appropriate diversity and inclusion content and images
- Do’s and don’ts for inclusive language
- What to add to posts to improve accessibility