Policy statement
NCRA uses social media to share industry and association information with the membership and anyone interested in court reporting, captioning, and legal videography. This may include court reporters, CART and broadcast captioners, legal videographers, schools and programs, instructors, firms, professionals in peripheral industries, state and related associations, vendors, students, steno enthusiasts, and prospective members and students. Social media also provides the opportunity for high-quality customer service with current and prospective members through direct interaction and engagement.
Application
This policy applies to all NCRA staff and members who serve in volunteer leadership positions who use social media channels to speak on NCRA’s behalf or otherwise may be associated with NCRA on social media, including NCRA officers, directors, and committee members.
Purpose of social media
NCRA uses social media as a method for sharing industry and association information. This information can include, but is not limited to, announcements from the association, reminders of upcoming deadlines, industry news and updates, and resources and tips about business, grammar, or technology. NCRA can also use social media to share and respond to information posted by others in the court reporting, captioning, and legal videography community, including schools, agencies, state associations, individuals, and others. Finally, social media provides an opportunity for the association to share lighter-hearted content, such as jokes and memes, which the membership would find enjoyable but would be inappropriate in other contexts.
Social media also provides an opportunity to deliver high-quality customer service for current and prospective members through direct interaction and engagement. The NCRA-authorized moderators can answer questions posed directly by members, offer explanations or clarifications when members post information that they find confusing or is incorrect, and even provide empathy and encouragement for members and students who write about their professional struggles. Sharing content from other sources gives NCRA a chance to add something to the conversation and recognize another organization or member for something they’ve provided or accomplished.
Discussion groups and pages provide a place for members to have professional discussions on a variety of topics that affect them and their day-to-day work lives. By monitoring the discussions, NCRA staff and volunteer leadership can also get insight into the types of concerns that court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers face in their personal and professional lives and use that knowledge to provide additional services or content that would benefit the membership.
NCRA has an opportunity to use social media as a way to promote the profession to an outside audience. This can range from sharing information that educates the public on the true nature of court reporting, captioning, and legal videography to showcasing the positive attributes of these fields, especially when using platforms that are populated by younger people who may consider these fields as a potential career.
NCRA social media should not be used to discuss controversial or divisive political or social issues that are unrelated to the profession and the mission of NCRA.
Roles and responsibilities
NCRA staff
While several staff members have admin rights to various NCRA social media outlets, the Content Manager is primarily responsible for daily strategy and application. Other NCRA staff members are members of groups or have a presence on NCRA social media in other ways. All NCRA social media material must go through an NCRA staff moderator. If the staff member posts directly to a discussion group, for example, that staff member should alert the staff moderator about the post. NCRA staff is required to monitor all social media platforms, cultivate discussion through content, and address destructive and/or disparaging comments as necessary and appropriate, and remove inappropriate postings when the posted content violates NCRA’s Etiquette Guidelines. From time to time, staff is required to review NCRA’s social media strategy to ensure that each platform and profile is being used advantageously.
NCRA members who serve in leadership positions
Members do not have admin or moderator rights, but they serve an important role on NCRA social media. The NCRA President, for example, while not required to be active on social media, can serve as a voice for the association when members would be more comfortable hearing information from an individual rather than an organization. NCRA officers, directors, and committee members may be asked to contribute to online discussions by answering a question, clarifying information, advocating for the profession or association, or sharing information, especially if these tasks fall within committee charges.
Brand Ambassadors Council
This team of selected influential NCRA members will be tasked with sharing the brand and mission of NCRA and court reporting and captioning and legal videography by reposting and commenting on NCRA news, news of the profession, culture/brand personality meme images, NCRA events, and more throughout their own platforms and following. Council members are eligible to become moderators of NCRA labeled groups on Facebook and LinkedIn should they wish to volunteer during their me on the Council.
Guidelines
Anyone who may be associated with NCRA, including staff, officers, directors, and committee members, need to be conscientious that their actions on social media can reflect back on the organization.
General guidelines
- Make sure any information about the association is accurate. If you aren’t sure, ask.
- NCRA is not affiliated with any political, religious, etc., organization or group. Staff and members should consider how their posts may inadvertently link the association with any of these organizations or groups.
- Controversial or divisive political or social issues that are unrelated to the profession and the mission of NCRA should not be discussed.
- Nothing on the Internet is truly private. Be thoughtful and carefully consider what information you post on social media.
- Everyone is encouraged to share content from NCRA profiles on their own pages.
- NCRA members, especially officers, directors, committee members, and other industry and association leaders, hold a unique position as ambassadors for the association. At times, it may be more valuable for a member to respond to an issue rather than a staff member because the member may hold more trust, respect, and esteem in the eyes of the membership.
- NCRA staff members are not required to join NCRA groups, follow NCRA pages, connect with members, or even identify themselves as employees of NCRA on social media. Staff members should use discretion on social media and follow the Etiquette Guidelines, especially if their job description does not include social media.
- Everyone is encouraged to contact the NCRA Content Manager for guidance on social media if desired.
- All communications should comply with NCRA’s Antitrust and Legal Guidelines as provided below.
Social media platforms
NCRA has created NCRA-labeled social media presence on a number of platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Facebook
NCRA’s presence on Facebook includes a main NCRA Facebook page, an NCRA Students page, a CLVS page, a Court Reporting & Captioning Memes page, and the following Facebook groups:
- CART Captioners - NCRA
- Captioners - NCRA
- Official Reporters - NCRA
- Court Reporting Technology
- Freelance Court Reporters - NCRA
- Scopists & Proofreaders - NCRA
- Legal Videographers - CLVS
- NCRA’s Realtime Program
X (formerly Twitter)
NCRA’s X account is NCRA Official Page (@NCRA).
Instagram
NCRA’s Instagram account is @ncraofficial.
LinkedIn
NCRA’s presence on LinkedIn includes a National Court Reporters Association company page as well as the Court Reporting and Captioning Group, Certified Legal Video Specialists group, and the NCRA A to Z alumni group.
YouTube
NCRA has one YouTube channel. Included on this channel are videos from members about why they love the court reporting and captioning professions and also videos from and about NCRA events.
Moderation
Anyone posting on NCRA social media on behalf of the association must always be polite and professional, especially when representing the association. It is important to remember that there is another person on the other side of the screen, and that person deserves to be treated with courtesy and respect. Staff is still encouraged to follow the NCRA style guide while writing for social media, although style conventions may be bent slightly in order to fit the 280 character limit on X, formerly Twitter. The nature of social media also allows staff members to use a more lighthearted, conversational tone in writing.
Posting on all NCRA social media pages and forums must abide by the Etiquette Guidelines, and any posts in violation of the Etiquette Guidelines may be removed based on NCRA’s sole discretion. For example, posts containing harassment, profanity, and any anti-trust discussions (which include discussing rates or boycotts) or other topics that may expose NCRA to legal liability shall be deleted. Commercial messages will also be deleted; however, members may post referrals in the Scopists & Proofreaders group, where members are allowed to advertise services or needs for services. Harassment includes bullying between or among members, discriminatory posts, or posts that otherwise threaten members or the industry. NCRA pages and forums are meant to be safe places for like-minded professionals to engage in conversation with each other. All other discussions are encouraged. See the section on antitrust issues below for more information.
Any direct questions or concerns requiring a response shall be responded to as soon as possible. When the staff moderator needs information from another staff member in order to answer a post on NCRA’s social media platforms, the staff member should respond as soon as possible so the staff moderator can answer the member quickly. The staff moderator should clearly indicate if the inquiry is for social media in the subject line of an email if the inquiry is not addressed in person or over the phone. On discussion boards, NCRA staff is not expected to directly engage with posts unless the discussion revolves around an NCRA policy or program, and the staff member could clarify anything causing confusion.
Discussion groups
NCRA staff must approve users before they can participate in discussion boards. The social media team may remove users at their discretion who break the discussion board rules.
Antitrust and legal guidelines
Trade and professional associations, as groups of competitors, are under particular scrutiny with regard to pricing behavior, even if agreements, etc., are only inferred. In addition, legal defense is costly even if the user and NCRA are eventually cleared of wrongdoing. It is in the best interest of the association and the membership to avoid any behavior that could be seen as violating antitrust laws. It is important to keep in mind that nothing on the Internet – even in closed discussion groups – is truly private. This is not meant to scare members but to ensure awareness.
Discussions that must be avoided that can trigger Antitrust exposure include:
- Prices
- discounts or other terms or conditions of sale
- salaries
- profits
- gifts, rewards and incentives provided to customers
- profit margins or cost data
- market shares
- boycotts and other concerted group action
- sales territories or markets
- allocation of customers or territories
- selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers
Members may not post any information regarding specific prices or fees charged or paid as well as information concerning prices, pricing practices, discounts, or other terms or conditions of sale either obtained from or offered to another entity.
In addition, members may not post any other information that may expose NCRA to legal liability. Examples of such activities may include disparaging comments or other discussion of specific individuals, groups, vendors, products or services, as well as copyright or trademark violations.
Non-NCRA groups
There are many pages and groups related to court reporting, captioning, legal videography, etc., on social media that are not moderated by or otherwise associated with NCRA. Staff, directors, officers, and committee members are to use their discretion in representing NCRA in these groups. Below are a few guidelines.
- It is the individual’s choice whether to be involved in these groups or not, recognizing that there is value in seeing or participating in discussions in other locations.
- NCRA is not responsible for responding to anti-NCRA discussions in forums that are not moderated by the Association. Members who are part of these groups may see an opportunity to correct inaccurate information about the Association in these conversations.
- If staff or members see instances of copyright violations or other legal situations that NCRA should be aware of such information shall be forwarded to the appropriate staff member so the Association can determine what, if any, actions need to be taken.
- Depending upon the non-NCRA group and circumstances, it may be important for the individual to indicate they are responding in their personal capacity or refrain from responding at all.
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The use of NCRA graphics, branding, and the use of the NCRA name in a group or page title that is not listed on NCRA’s website as part of the NCRA-labeled social media platform is strictly prohibited.
Maintenance
Basic responsibilities
The staff moderator should check in with all NCRA social media platforms a minimum of once per business day. During a check-in, the staff moderator should respond to any posts requiring an answer from NCRA, approve requests to post to the discussion group (if the setting so requires), approve new members to the discussion groups, scan newsfeeds/timelines for shareable content, and monitor metrics.
Providing content
On platforms where NCRA staff is responsible for providing content, new content should appear on a consistent basis. This content can include original content from NCRA, or it can include shares, retweets, etc., from other profiles. Content should be scheduled to appear on NCRA social media forums when more members are likely to see it and should be spread out throughout the day. This is especially important on Facebook and Twitter. On YouTube, since content usually comes from events, this new content should be posted as soon as the new content is available. All content on YouTube must be captioned.
Each piece of content should be presented in a way that is appropriate to the platform, incorporating visuals, hashtags, etc. as appropriate and for maximum exposure. The Content Manager may, from time to time, decide to pay for a specific post to be boosted if the content in question requires a wider audience or is part of a specific marketing campaign.
In addition to monitoring NCRA social media platforms, the staff moderator should follow related profiles. These include: national, state and local court reporting, captioning, and videography associations; organizations from related industries such as deaf and hard-of-hearing or legal organizations; court reporting schools and programs; court reporting, captioning, and legal videography firms; industry vendors; national news outlets; government-related organizations; competing organizations, such as those representing voice writers, transcribers, and electronic reporters; and important individuals within the association, including board members and influencers who are active on social media. Monitoring these profiles will help the staff moderator stay on top of industry news and find content that members may also find valuable, either as a share or retweet or for future content in NCRA publications. Following or reposting content from any individual or organization is not an official endorsement by NCRA.
Hashtags
Official NCRA event hashtags should also be attached to any posts related to events.
Because of the conversational nature of social media, the staff moderator is also required to monitor and use appropriate hashtags.
Best practices
Staff moderators are responsible for staying on top of current social media best practices so that NCRA social media platforms are being used efficiently, intelligently, and successfully.
Implementation, monitoring, and review
At the beginning of every NCRA fiscal year, and reviewed during mid-year, the social media team should draft social media objectives for the upcoming year to develop goals, action items, and an overall social media strategy.
Social media metrics for each platform should be kept on a monthly basis. These metrics can be used to develop future goals and improvements.
Last updated April 2024