A Social Media Makeover in Just 7 Days Revamp your online presence in one week.
By Tiffany Monhollon Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When's the last time you updated your social media profiles with your latest company information, making the most of each site's features? Not sure where to start? This simple checklist will help you make over your social media presence in just seven days.
Day 1: Audit Your Current Social Media Presence
Take stock of all your social media accounts and make sure your overall social media presence is polished, professional, and up to date.
- Create an audit doc: Create a document with a list of every social media account your company has claimed, including the user name, URL and important information for each site.
- Update your passwords: While you're creating your initial audit document, log in to each account you own and update your passwords. Make sure you have a different strong, unique password for each account, and if multiple people need to access your passwords, search for a secure password manager.
- Create a task list: Note on your audit document each of the following that need to be created, revised or updated: descriptions, profile photos, cover photos, logos, videos and product and service descriptions.
- Double check the facts: Make sure you spell, punctuate, and abbreviate each word of your business information -- such as your phone number, address, web addresses and other business details -- consistently on each site you use so that search engines attribute your business with proper citations.
- Align your assets: Request creative support for updates to your logo, profile images, and copy on your sites so you can take the next steps.
Day 2: Google+ Local
- Refresh your cover image: This image can be up to 2120 x 1192 pixels.
- Update the about section: Select the "About" tab on your profile and navigate to the "Story" module to update your page's tagline or add an introduction.
- Check links: Make sure these are all working links with up-to-date content, since this profile is associated with Google and helps it know what other accounts are affiliated with your company.
- Confirm business details and contact information: Confirm all your details (phone number, address, email and hours of operation) are optimized and current, because this content feeds into other Google properties such as Maps.
Day 3: Facebook
Log in and navigate to your Facebook page where you can directly edit some components.
- Update your cover photo: At 851 x 315 pixels, your cover image should be unique and represent your company and its current look. It can be made up of no more than 20 percent text, so focus on a bold and inviting image.
- Update your profile image/logo: Your profile image is 160 x 160 pixels and should be able to stand alone in the news feed where it will display at 90 x 90 pixels.
- Arrange and update apps and icons: Make sure the most relevant apps are showing at the top of your page (you can select three to display). You can also select new "cover images," 111 x 74 pixel images, for many apps by selecting the down arrow and the edit pencil.
- Update your page content: Under "Edit Page," you can change various pieces of content affiliated with your page, such as your subcategories, address and short description.
- Update settings: Under "Edit Page" review exactly how your page is operating, including posting ability, private messaging settings, tagging ability, restrictions, app access, etc. to make sure it's all optimal and up to date. Remove apps you do not use.
Day 4: Twitter
To update your Twitter account, you need to click the gear icon and select "settings" to edit your profile. Once there, you can update a number of things under the following sections.
Profile
- Update your logo or profile photo: Use a square logo that is recognizable at 90 x 90 pixels.
- Update or add a cover photo: This image size works best at 1252 x 626 pixels.
- Update your bio section: Remember, you only have 160 characters.
- Double check your location
- Confirm your website
Design
- Refresh your background: Experts recommend using an image that's 1600 x 1200 pixels and under 2 MB in size.
- Coordinate background and link colors
- Apps: Revoke access to any apps that you no longer use to keep your account secure.
Day 5: LinkedIn
Log in to your LinkedIn account, hover over your profile image and click "Manage" your company page. This will take you to a view with several editable tabs -- "Home," "Careers" and "Services."
Homepage
- Page details: Make sure your company type, size, URL, industry and locations are all up to date.
- Company description: Can be up to 2,000 characters.
- Image: This image needs to be 646 x 220 pixels and can be up to 2 MB in size.
- Standard logo: It needs to fit the ratio of 100 x 60 pixels for LinkedIn.
- Square logo: This logo version should be 50 x 50 pixels or square.
- Company specialties: Make sure this is up to date by adding any new services or major product lines and removing those you no longer offer.
Careers page
- Cover image: This unique careers image should be a minimum of 970 x 240 pixels and can be cropped to fit the space.
- Content -- description, video, slides, images
- Testimonials
Services page
Products and services: You can customize this page with product logos, images, descriptions, names and even video modules.
Day 6: YouTube
Go to "My Channel" under the dropdown menu, and then select the areas you want to edit and optimize.
- Channel art: YouTube recommends a photo at 2560 x 1440 pixels with a "safe" area within this image for text and logos of 1546 x 423 pixels centered within the image.
- Channel icon: A high-resolution, square image that displays well at smaller sizes, ideally 800 x 800 pixels.
- Description: Under the "About," section, update the description of your company, and optimize this description for search.
- Links: You can include links to relevant sites such as your website and social pages.
- Videos: Feature your most important videos and make sure uploaded videos are optimized for onsite and offsite search by including important keywords they use to search for your videos.
Day 7: Pinterest
Log in, locate your profile icon in the upper right hand, hover, and select "Your Profile & Pins," then select the pencil under your description and select "Edit Profile."
- Account type: If you joined Pinterest before it had the option for business pages, you can convert your account type to a business at business.pinterest.com.
- Profile image: A square version of your business logo at 211 x 211 pixels displays best across the site.
- About: 200 characters to describe your business.
- Location
- Boards, board covers and descriptions: Refresh your Pinterest boards by adjusting board names and descriptions and selecting new cover images for each board and arranging them into a new order on your page.
- Add maps: A new Pinterest feature is the ability to add maps to boards, called Place Pins.
Get Started!
With this checklist, you can tackle a social media makeover to make sure your business web presence is refreshed, accurate and even more effective. All that you need is to get started! Anything we missed? Any other sites you'd include? Please share in the comments section.
