It’s that time, refresh those social media platforms and start fresh! Dig in and redefine your outreach while springing ahead of your competitors. It’s important to engage and know your audience, be where they are, and provide value-added content that they want to hear and learn about. Interact with a personality, show up on a regular basis, make valuable connections (don’t stress about the numbers), and most importantly, remember… it’s not all about you.

Reevaluate all of your social media channels and decide which you utilize most and will commit to long-term – knowing where your target audience is participating is key. Is your brand reflected on your social media channels? Update your cover photos, profile pics, and Twitter icon… organize your follower lists, and set a 6-month content calendar.

Here are 5 quick tips of things to do now to jumpstart your social channels:

Twitter:
1. Follow people and companies that you think will provide value to your news feed.
2. Unfollow anyone that doesn’t provide value or isn’t within your niche.
3. Start, follow and organize public lists. These allow and help you to find like-minded followers. It’s also a quick snapshot of monitoring what others are saying.
4. Create a custom background and header photo that portrays you and your brand. Header photos are an important new feature that is large visible on mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones.
5. Engage, engage, engage – Utilize hashtags (target keywords), RT others, #FF, #FBLT, congratulate, and highlight clients. Bottom line, show the person not the automated robot behind the company.

Facebook:
1. Go through your current client/prospect lists and “Like” their pages, this way they will be aware of your presence and like you back.
2. Is your profile or company page basic information complete? Be sure to add a fresh, customized cover photo. Be unique, not “salesy!”
3. Make your company’s profile personal and engaging. Post event and networking photos giving your followers a look into the culture and the people within.
4. Create and upload other custom social media icons with specific calls to action.
5. Select a username or custom URL for your page.

LinkedIn:
1. Is your profile photo up-to-date and professional?
2. Does your profile summary reflect the company standard and is it consistent?
3. Make sure your contact information is complete so that a business prospects or clients can easily find it. Is your company’s Twitter profile and website linked?
4. Be sure to add at least 5 skills and expertise categories. This helps build your industry knowledge and also allows others to endorse you. Don’t forget to endorse back!
5. Reach out for recommendations for your profile as well as your company’s page.