Your social media profiles offer the first impression of you and/or your business. So make it a good one! Here are a few quick tips to help you optimize your Profiles:
1. Upload a (good) photo of yourself
Not having a photo is a clear sign that you’re not serious about your social media profile. So make sure to upload one! If you don’t have professional headshots available, use your camera phone in a setting with good lighting/background or get a friend to take a photo that presents you in a professional manner.
2. Fill out your bio
Every social media site gives you space to create a “bio” or “about me”. Although some of these fields can be small (160 characters on Twitter), it is important to use keywords so your profile will show up in other users’ searches.
Your keywords should focus on your career interests, specialties and skills, as well as topics in your industry that you are blogging about or discussing online.
3. Include a link to your website.
Most social media profiles give you space for a “live” website link. If you don’t have a website, then use the space for another social media profile, so people can learn more about you/your business.
4. Use the cover photo (header) for calls-to-action
Most sites now have space available for a larger photo at the top of your profile. Depending on your business, you can use this space to highlight your accomplishments, share a tag-line for what you offer, or use a specific call-to-action.
A call-to-action could be something as simple as “Email me for a free consultation” or “Go to (supply a web link) for a free copy of (whatever you are giving away)”.
On sites like Facebook, where the Cover Photo includes a description when someone clicks on the image, you can put a “Click here” button on part of your Cover Photo, and when users click on the Cover Photo, they see a web link in the photo’s description.
5. Periodically review your profile
Make it a part of your routine to periodically review your profile (a quarterly or semi-annual task for example). There may be new keywords or descriptions to add as your business grows, or maybe you’re offering a special promotion and can use your profile to showcase it.
Sometimes, just uploading a new photo is enough to attract attention from your community, and remind users of what you offer.
So there are 5 quick tips for optimizing your social media profile. Use them as a checklist for each new site when you set up an account. Or go back and review existing sites now to ensure they are making a good first impression!