In a recent blog Neil Williams, head of corporate digital channels at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), describes a Twitter strategy template he initially wrote for his own department, but which is now recommended for use throughout UK government departments.

In this 20-page document (yes, 20 pages!), Williams outlines a lot of useful information which should belong in any corporate twitter strategy document – more importantly, the document is available for use and adaptation by anyone.

Many organisations have developed their own policies to control the use of Twitter as an official ‘mouthpiece,’ expressing guidelines for all staff.

The Mayo Clinic takes a somewhat interesting view – suggesting that staff act as their own selves, but ensure their employer remains in a positive light.  The introduction to the policy reads, “The main thing Mayo employees need to remember about blogs and social networking sites is that the same basic policies apply in these spaces as in other areas of their lives.”  Admirable words and the remainder of the policy remains true to this sentiment, suggesting that employees speak in first person, maintain personal links to Twitter (a personal email address, for instance) and to respect work commitments. 

Conversely, Dow Jones (publisher of the wall Street Journal) took a more ‘pre-renaissance’ view of Twitter.  The original announcement seems to have been removed but has been echoed in a number of locations – here for instance.  Essentially, the writers of this policy (although admirable in the fact they thought to actually write one) really don’t get Twitter, trying hard to remove the one thing that Twitter embodies – the conversation.

Then there was the Walmart ‘incident’ a couple of weeks ago when the blogosphere was in a total lather over whether Walmart had blundered in its own Twitter policy (http://walmartstores.com/twitter/) – the short answer, no, they hadn’t; but being a big easy target, they took a few undeserved hits.

There are any number of consultants who will tell you how to craft your very own corporate Twitter policy – but do they really know your business well enough to shape it perfectly?