5 Elements to Complete Your Social Presence
Social media has long been part of the overall marketing strategy for many companies, 86% of marketers indicate that social media is a vital part of their business. While social is no longer new to strategic online marketing initiatives, there are still several factors for marketers to take into consideration when building out social media profiles. In this post, we’ll take a look at 5 ways to optimize your social presence.
Complete Comprehensive Social Media Profile Information
While it sounds basic, not having all the fields filled out in any social media profile is one way to make yourself look sloppy & discredit your business. The internet is full of users quick to jump on any inconsistency or publicize anything that looks out of place, don’t give them the opportunity to do so.
The following example showcases a Google+ page; notice that all elements of this profile are complete. This includes both a cover photo as well as a default profile image, profile name, a brief tagline and a more extensive introduction, contact information, and various links to sites and other social media profiles.
While the fields to fill in vary between platforms (note that in Google+ you can even include hyperlinks, but, with Twitter, you have a character limit) each one needs to be completed for a polished and finished look.
Here are links of reference for identifying required and optional social media field information:
Choose a Definitive & Default Social Media Profile Photo
Oftentimes, companies will use generic images as their default images. Your company is a unique entity and should have its own unique identity on social media. Make your profile photo one that accurately reflects your company.
The example below showcases a company that sells yarn and other knitting supplies, so their default image is photo of yarn. When posting to their own wall on Facebook or conversing with another user on Twitter or Google+, this icon appears next to whatever message they are posting. Had they used a branded icon as their default image, it would appear a bit more clearly who it was sharing new content or posting under someone else’s. Rather than conjuring up images of Wildskein’s Yarn Company, the image of these balls of yarn could be any company or anyone who happens to like yarn.
Use Cohesive & Consistent Social Media Imagery
One of the biggest benefits of using social media in your online marketing initiatives is that it contributes to your overall brand presence. When people see a specific image or read a specific word, you want it to resonate with your brand. For this reason, it’s important to have your profiles unified across all platforms. The image referenced earlier in this post is of KoMarketing’s Google+ profile, so notice in the following images that there is similar imagery throughout.
Facebook:
Linkedin:
Twitter:
Use Cohesive & Consistent Social Media Content
Having similar imagery across all platforms is important, but it’s equally important to have a cohesive message across each of your social media profiles so that wherever a user goes, the mission and purpose of your company remains a singular, clear idea. The following reflects KoMarketing’s Linkedin, Facebook, and Google+ social media content. Messaging on Twitter tends to vary a bit as there is a 160 character limit on descriptions.
Linkedin:
Facebook:
Google+:
Utilize Reciprocal Social Profile Relationships
Social media platforms are, in part, meant for the promotion of brands and websites. Here is where the importance of links comes into the play. Linking back to your website is certainly important but linking from your website to your various profiles should have equal priority. The more sharable you are, the more people will post or tweet out you and your content, so make it easy for them!
Badges are one way to do this:
You can also add social sharing buttons to your articles and blogs:
Not only is it beneficial to have a reciprocal relationship between your site and social profile, but cross-pollination throughout all platforms is also helpful. Say a Google+ user sees a piece of your content and checks out the rest of your profile. This is not only an opportunity for them to see your website, but also one for you to direct them toward your Twitter or Facebook profiles so they can further connect with you. Below is an example of the links section in our Google+ page.
Final Thoughts
While completing a social profile may sound like simply filling out a summary and including a photo, it’s much more than just that. In order to maximize your social media presence and have it enhance your ongoing online marketing efforts, it’s important to include a default photo that accurately reflects your company. Use cohesive and consistent imagery and content, and utilize reciprocal social profile relationships. Doing so can be the difference-maker between a lackluster and successful social media presence.