Fellow Solopreneurs, It May Be Past Time to Consider a Social Media Profile Makeover
Years ago, before I actually owned a home and realized how much work it was, I loved watching those house makeover shows. I adored Trading Spaces (coming back!!!). I bet some of you are fans of HGTV and all the new wave of remodeling shows. But when was the last time you gave your social media profiles or accounts more than just a dusting, and considered a real makeover? It may be past time to makeover our social media looks for even smarter marketing.
I'm not talking about slapping a fancy, funny frame on an old profile pic. And by the way, you are using a good quality, well-lit, professional looking photo in your profile pics for your business' social media profiles, aren't you?
Uhoh …
Get a Good Photo!!
Sidenote: ok, we don't all have professional photographer friends who'll take photos of us whenever we need it (thanks Chorus Photography outside Philadelphia!). But c'mon, cameras in your phones now have portrait modes or fancy apps, and if you get a friend to hold it nice and steady in some good light with a clean, uncluttered background, you'll be better off than most I've seen online.
Time out – you're not are using a cartoon character are you? No good unless you're a children's book author or a graphic novelist. Please tell me you're not still the generic avatar! You also don't want a photo more than 2 years old, even slightly blurry or pixelated, or a pic that shows you in a t-shirt (when you're not a t-shirt designer), or was cropped out of a photo of you and a pal at a bar, or anything other than seriously good looking
If any of this applies to you and the profile you use for your solopreneur biz on social media … STOP right now and arrange to get a new, REAL photo. If you can't get a pro headshot, see my notes above, oh and go put on clothes that make you feel good and look good. Get a non-blurry, non-pixelated, well-lit picture. And if you can, have a proper photo taken by a pro – even if it's a pro at a mall camera place.
Done?
Ok, consider that the first step in your social media makeover. 😉
Seriously, that is the first thing you need to check and make over.
Social Make-over Step #1: Good Photo
Always use use a clear, friendly, high-quality, professional-looking image as your profile pic on ALL the social media accounts you use for your solopreneur biz. Twitter, your Facebook Page, your LinkedIn profile and Instagram especially! You can show your personality and still have a polished pic.
Hey, I get it … maybe you're camera shy, or really private, or think you've never taken a good photo. I used a cartoon avatar (branded, pretty well-designed, but still a cartoon) as my Twitter profile for several years. But as I did more public speaking, more client work away from the computer, I needed to show ME. The real me, and not a cartoon. As soon as I made the switch I got a LOT more followers, more positive feedback, more engagement – because I was a real person and folks could see that online. And when we met IRL (in real life), they felt like they already knew me. So be like the newer me, not the old cartoon me.
Social Make-over Step #2 is super easy – use the right size profile
Make sure the image is the right size for each social platform. Yes, they change things all the time -but look for templates on sizing like this one and or the always updated ‘ultimate social media size guide' from Social Media Today – you're good to go. [E.g. 180x180px for Facebook profiles, 200x200px for Twitter, 150x150px for Instagram, 400x400px on LinkedIn]
Social Make-over Step #3: Use consistent handles across social media
When and wherever possible use the same name, same variation of your brand or business name, as the handle or name on all the social media channels where you have a business presence. Not always easy when you have a common name, like Jennifer. 😉 Or your business name is also common and was taken early. But do what you can.
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Social Make-over Step #4: Add relevant, targeted keywords to your social media bio or About section.
Fill in as much of that bio as space allows and use relevant keywords and phrases. For Twitter it might mean just keywords, one or two #hashtags. And don't forget to include a link to your website where allowed. For LinkedIn, your About and Summary should NOT be a giant keyword-stuffing exercise. But should be up to date and include variations of words or phrases your ideal customer might search on.
Hootsuite wrote a post just on how to boost your LinkedIn profile and give your business a makeover for that platform. While I'm not on LinkedIn as often as maybe I should be, so I probably need this makeover too!
Does your summary or your About Us section answer these questions:
- Who are you?
- Where are you based?
- What do you offer?
- What are your values?
- What is your brand voice?
- How can people contact you to learn more?
Especially if you're a solopreneur working in the B2B space, a service biz, your clients are on LinkedIn. Follow the tips in this post to give your business a more client-attracting presence on LinkedIn.
Social Make-over Step #5: Link to your other social media profiles
Did you know Facebook lets you add multiple links to the website field when you build a profile? Use it to include your other social channels. Consider adding your Facebook Business Page as the URL for website on Twitter if your actual website is a work-in-progress. Cross promote your social accounts whenever and wherever you can.
Don't forget to include your social profiles in your email signature, as an option to ‘follow me on…' at the bottom of your email newsletters, add your handle on the first slide or two of presentations, and even put your most-used social profile on your printed business cards.
Social Media Today has timely tips if you want more on making over and cleaning up your social media.
Giving Yourself a Social Makeover is Easier and Quicker than a Home Remodel!
I bet those 5 steps will take you less than an hour. Schedule a social media check-in for refreshing every quarter, and a time to evaluate for a full makeover at least once a year. Now excuse me while I go update my Twitter headers and fix my Facebook covers too!
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