Whether you are just trying to get more exposure online, connect with your fans or customers, or improve your online reputation, social networking profiles are the way to go.
The social media revolution began over a decade ago and most businesses now implement some kind of strategy for social. But technology doesn’t stand still and social media has evolved significantly over that period unless you’re working at the coal-face of social every day, it can be difficult for business owners to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
Follow these steps to help optimize your social media channels:
Step One: Choose A Standout Profile Picture
First, make sure you have a good profile picture. Usually, this is a square image that represents your brand and accompanies all the posts you submit. For personal brands, we would recommend getting a good headshot.
Step Two: Make It Easy For People to Know What You Do
Be as concise and blunt as possible, with something like; we help athletes increase their speed or Do we provide vet services?
Step Three: Make Sure You Are Using The Right Size Images
Each social network states its optimal image sizes. It’s important to trust them. We suggest using the same profile image on every network, as well.
- Facebook profile picture: 170 X 170 pixels
- Facebook cover photo: 828 X 465 pixels
- Twitter profile photo: 400 X 400 pixels
- Twitter header image: 1,500 X 500 pixels
- Google+ profile picture: 250 X 250 pixels (minimum)
- Google+ cover photo: 1080 X 608 pixels
- LinkedIn profile photo: 400 X 400 pixels (minimum)
- LinkedIn custom background: 1584 X 396
- LinkedIn cover photo: 974 X 330 pixels
- LinkedIn banner image: 646 X 220 pixels
- Instagram profile picture: 110 X 110 pixels
- Pinterest profile picture: 150 X 150 pixels
- YouTube profile picture: 800 X 800 pixels
- YouTube cover photo: 2,560 X 1,440 pixels on desktop
Step Four: Be Discoverable In Search
Use the right keywords in your profile to be discovered for your business, industry, or niche.
When people do web searches, you want your brand logo to show up above the fold.
It’s easy (and fast) to add the right words to your social profile.
Identify the right keywords by using programs like SEMrush and the Google Keyword Planner to help identify the right words and terms.
Step Five: Fill In Every Field
While you’re adding keywords to your profile, make sure all the fields are filled in. You want to fill in your hours, services provided, address, company overview, etc. when starting your social media accounts.
If you don’t, visitors will view your profile as incomplete and have a negative perception on your brand.
Step Six: Pin Your Best Content To The Top
Unlike other posts, pinned one’s stay put. They are the first things people see when looking you up. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn support pinning.
This is your chance to showcase your best work. Choose wisely. Maybe a key message, a new landing page, a hot offer, or a cool video? Make the most of pinning.
Step Seven: Be Active
By posting valuable content on a regular basis, you are increasing your chances of connecting with more potential customers. But it doesn’t end there.
It’s crucial to engage with visitors that are commenting on your posts. By doing so, you’ll be creating a relationship with the community online.
Regardless of whether you’re developing a corporate brand or a personal brand, these strategies will help you optimize your profile so it’s easier to find, more initially appealing, and capable of supporting a more in-depth social marketing campaign.
