At the beginning of each year, it is customary to discuss how to prepare for the upcoming year and encourage everyone to establish goals. Now that we have reached the midpoint of the year, we are ready to assist you in evaluating your progress. Let’s determine whether you are on track to achieve your year-end goals!

 

Lists and Spreadsheets

Ideally, it is advisable to maintain a comprehensive list or spreadsheet containing all your pages and profiles. This ensures that you are diligent in reviewing and considering every aspect. Even if you have a limited number of accounts, it is still essential to stay updated on each one and manage the associated workload.

 

URLs and Usernames

Next, it is important to verify that all your URLs and usernames are consistent. Ideally, your names, URLs, and usernames should align across different platforms. This facilitates easier discovery by your clients.

 

Check Your Personal Profile and Cover Photos

Now, it is time to assess your personal profiles. Take a moment to review each profile, including the headshots, cover photos, video thumbnails, and profile pictures. Often, we update our profiles with each season, so it is crucial to make regular changes. For example, it is not appropriate to display a Halloween-themed cover photo in June. Ensure that your headshot is current and accurately represents your current appearance. If you have graduated from college and are still using your high school yearbook photo, it is advisable to update it.

 

Check Your Branding

Does your branding require an update? If it has been a while since you last refined or polished your branding, it might be time for a refresh. If you are uncertain about your brand colors or fonts, now is the ideal moment to take action.

 

Complete or Edit Your Facebook and LinkedIn Profiles

Your personal profiles on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn should be complete and up to date. Make sure that your LinkedIn headline effectively communicates your unique value proposition, answering the question, “What’s in it for me?” Clearly articulate what you do and highlight the value you bring to others. The more information you provide on your profiles, the better others can comprehend your expertise and the value you offer to them.

 

Connect Your Page to Your Profile

If you are a business owner, it is crucial to link your pages and profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. People should be able to access your LinkedIn business page directly from your personal profile. On Facebook, if you state that you are self-employed, the self-employed button should link to your business page. Leverage your personal profile to generate traffic to your business.

 

Check Your Contact Information

It is not uncommon to come across business pages that have incorrect website links or outdated addresses. It is imperative to ensure that the information on your social media accounts effectively enables people to get in touch with your business. Otherwise, all the efforts you have invested in digital marketing would be in vain.

 

Privacy

Now is the opportune time to review your privacy settings. Personal details such as your birth year or your mother’s maiden name need not be disclosed publicly. Safeguard your personal information by limiting its accessibility. Facebook does not require access to your private information.

 

About Section

Take a moment to review and update the “About” section on each of your profiles. Consistency in your branding is key, so provide the same information across all platforms. Use simple and easily understandable language to precisely convey what you do. Avoid using industry-specific jargon that might confuse your audience.

 

Links

Often, people include a generic link because most social media platforms allow only one link in the bio. However, if you want your customers to take a specific action when they leave your social media platform, direct them to a relevant link where the desired action can be taken. Verify that every link on every social media site and your website is functional. 

 

Check Hashtags

When was the last time you evaluated the hashtags you use to ensure they align with your business and make sense? Each hashtag you utilize should serve a purpose and be highly relevant to your content. If people are not actively searching for the hashtags you use, it begs the question of why you are using them.

 

Insights and Analytics

Each social media platform provides a set of statistics based on your performance. Without understanding how your content has performed in the past, you won’t be able to make informed decisions for the future. Analyze your growth on each platform to determine which ones are the most worthwhile investments of your time and resources.

 

Check Your Content Calendar

Take a thorough look at your content calendar, which helps you stay organized with your platform-specific content rotation. Is it time to update it? If you’re in need of a content calendar, we offer a free downloadable template that you can customize for your own social media needs. We provide twelve different topic options for a two-week rotation. You can access the template by clicking HERE.

 

Review Who You Follow

It’s time to declutter your list of people you follow. If you don’t personally know someone or haven’t had any interaction with them in the past ten years, ask yourself why you are still following them. Consider periodically reviewing birthday notifications on Facebook and removing unfamiliar individuals as they come up. It may seem harsh, but it helps keep your feed relevant.

 

Social Media Icons

Ensure that your website directs visitors to your current and active social media platforms. There’s no need to have outdated links like MySpace connected to your website anymore. Also, regularly verify that any newly established platforms are accessible and prominently displayed for visitors to find. Click on each icon to confirm that it correctly directs customers to the intended page.

 

Consistency

Consistency is crucial on social media. You don’t want people to think your business is inactive or closed because you rarely post. Regular and consistent posting is key to maintaining an engaging and successful social media presence.

 

We are halfway there! 

By following these steps and conducting a thorough check of your social media presence, you can ensure that you are on the right track to reaching your goals. Regularly reviewing and updating your profiles, content, and branding will help you stay relevant, engage your audience, and drive the success of your social media efforts.

Remember, if you need assistance with your social media content calendar, feel free to download our customizable template HERE.