The usefulness and ubiquity of social media have made the Internet an unavoidable part of business strategy these days. If you decide dive into social networking as a company, you are going to open eyes across your office, especially if you have had the web on lockdown.

That’s where a healthy and well-thought social media policy comes in.

Diving into the deep end of social media strategy means learning how to swim as a company. That involves so many factors that don’t come with easy answers.

You want to set the right guidelines for everyone in your organization engages with the web, which means the conversation will extend out of the HR office, into the world of marketing, public relations, legal and customer service.

And the conversations won’t just be about setting up a Twitter account or accessing Facebook, but will involve productivity, privacy, conversations with customers and so much more.

Can you Google œsocial media policy and find dozens of them online? Sure. But do you really want to stake your future with the world’s greatest information-gathering machine with a quick case of search-and-replace?

That’s why, instead of opening the doors for a session of Social Media 101, I pitched my firm on the idea of a seminar with a much narrower approach  just social media policy.

Is it insurance for making sure that your company is putting its best face forward (and not whatever and whoever may be on Facebook)? Sure, but once the conversation about using the web in all of its facets begins, it will bring a change in mindset and orientation.

That’s just some of what we’ll be talking about on Nov. 10 in Oklahoma City and Nov. 17 in Tulsa.

For information, go to Schnake Turnbo Frank Public Relations’ web site “www.stfpr.com“ and check out the info.

Need to know anything else? Follow me on Twitter at @mkokc.

Earlier today, Schnake Turnbo Frank, a public relations first based in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma announced their new social media director via youtube. Their new SM Director, Mike Koehler who is a fellow blogger, tweeter, and friend will lead STF’s Social Media division. Koehler and STF will provide public relations consulting and social media solutions. I’m proud of Mike and am excited that social media is beginning to get the respect it deserves. SM is here to stay and STF’s announcement will be followed by many others as businesses look to gain a competitive marketing advantage using social media in their business marketing and public relations.

Congratulations, Mike!