3.5Charter & best practices
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Double charter: internal (who publishes, sign-off, tone, crisis) and public (courtesy, sanctions) — signed, it prevents 80% of 'I did not know'.
- Graduated moderation: warn, hide, ban — same rule for all, evidence kept, weekly review.
- Employees framed, not muzzled: express guide, reshare kit, never forced — a proud employee posts better.
Running case — Nour gets her 2-page charter signed
Final act: Nour writes her charter — internal page (roles, ad sign-off, tone, hours, crisis with single voice, access) and displayed public page (courtesy, no ads, warn then hide then ban). The whole team signs; employees guided without obligation. After each crisis, she adds a rule.
Final episode from 3.1-3.4 — Nour locks the frame.
1. The internal and public contract
The internal charter says who publishes what, who signs off, which tone, which hours, and who decides in a crisis. The public charter displays the moderation rules: courtesy, off-topic, sanctions. Signed, it cuts short any 'I did not know'.
Nour holds her charter in 2 pages: roles and sign-off on one side, displayed rules on the other. Even alone, she uses it to stay consistent.
2. Moderate and let shine
Moderating is a power: warn then hide then ban, logged, same rule for all, screenshots kept, sample reviewed each week. Never arbitrary, never mood-based.
Employee advocates are framed without muzzling: speak in your own name, no confidential info, report crises internally first, monthly kit to reshare, never forced to publish.
🔎 Concrete example — A 2-page charter
Nour displays the frame.
Internal page 1: roles, reviewed ads, tone, crisis, access.
Public page 2: courtesy, no ads, graduated.
→ signed by all, reviewed after a crisis.Result: everyone knows, everyone signs.
Reflex: review after each crisis.
Section vocabulary
- Editorial / tone charter
- The document defining the brand voice: tone, vocabulary, style, values, topics.
Simple example: Nour writes: warm, informal address, sober emojis.
What it is not: communicating by instinct with the mood.
Reflex: reread each post against the charter.
- Brand voice
- A consistent tone and personality, whoever is speaking.
Simple example: Nour and her replacement write in the same tone.
What it is not: three different tones depending on the day.
Reflex: keep 'we do / we avoid' examples.
- Moderation charter
- Comment management rules: tolerated, replies, deadlines, crisis.
Simple example: Nour displays warn then hide then ban.
What it is not: moderating by mood with no displayed rule.
Reflex: decide cold, apply hot.
- Brand consistency
- The same brand experience whoever is speaking.
Simple example: Customers find the same tone everywhere.
What it is not: each member improvising their style.
Reflex: have a weekly sample reviewed.
- Best practices
- Shared rules for professional, consistent, secure management.
Simple example: Nour shares access, sign-off and crisis rules with the team.
What it is not: oral rules that 'everyone knows'.
Reflex: write, sign, display.
In practice — Define a charter and best practices
- Write a tone charter: voice, vocabulary, style, values, topics.
- Write a moderation charter: tolerated, replies, deadlines, crisis.
- Ensure consistency whoever is speaking or whatever the day.
- Share with the team (or use alone to anchor yourself).
Ready-to-say script — getting the charter signed (1 min)
'Here is our 2-page charter: how we speak, who signs off what, how we moderate and who decides in a crisis. Read, sign, and we reread it together after each incident to improve it.'
Say it as a team, pages in hand, dated signatures.
Copy-paste template — 2-page charter
INTERNAL (roles, sign-off, tone, crisis, access): _______________
PUBLIC (courtesy, graduated sanctions): _______________
EMPLOYEES (guide, kit, internal reporting): _______________
SIGNATURES / DATE / REVIEW: _______________Solo
Nour alone still anchors herself: one tone page and one moderation page prevent mood-based reactions.
Small team
Everyone signs, one reviewer checks a weekly sample: consistency without heaviness.
Active employees
Monthly reshare kit (ready visuals, ready copy): make it easy rather than forcing posts.
After a crisis
Systematically add one rule from the debrief: the charter grows with experience.
✓ Best practices
- Have the internal charter signed by all.
- Display the public moderation charter.
- Review the charter after each crisis.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Oral rules that 'everyone knows'.
- Mood-based moderation.
- Forcing employees to publish.
Key takeaways
- The charter formalises tone (editorial) and handling (moderation).
- The editorial one defines the voice: tone, vocabulary, style, values.
- The moderation one defines tolerated, replies, deadlines, crisis.
- Consistency, efficiency, security: a pro mark even alone.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Write your 2-page charter (template above): 1 tone page, 1 moderation page. Get it signed.
- I can distinguish tone charter from moderation charter.
- I can moderate graduated and logged.
- I have written and signed my charter.
Frequently asked questions
Is a charter useful when you are alone?
Yes: it clarifies your practice, stabilises your tone, prepares cold handling of crises and lets you hand over the day you delegate. A few pages are enough.
What does a charter concretely contain?
A tone part (tone, vocabulary, style, values, topics, examples) and a moderation part (tolerated, standard replies, deadlines, crisis), plus roles, sign-off and access as needed.
Nour moderates with the mood of the day. What is the risk?