A quick guide to creating social media profiles that show you off!
Is your social media profile working hard for your business? As small business owners, we invest a lot of our time on social media. But are you missing a trick by not ensuring you’ve filled out your profiles or bios fully?
You need to make sure you give visitors every chance to get to know you better. The details on your ‘About’ section or in your bio are crucial to that happening. Here are some quick tips on what you should do to make more of your social media profiles. Remember, each network differs in the information you can add, so work through each network you use methodically to maximise this space.
Flash that smile in your profile photo
If it’s just you in your business, consider using your photo instead of your logo. But not just any photo. Aim for one that shows you off in your best light. If you can stretch to it, book a professional photographer for a photo shoot. You’ll be amazed at how much difference this makes. If that’s out of your budget, then ask someone to take a photo. Make sure your face is visible, you have good lighting and don’t forget to flash that smile!
When you have a photo you’re happy with, make sure you use it for every social media profile for the networks on which you have a presence.
Make your cover photo work hard
Where you have the option of using a cover photo, think about how you can use that space to promote your business. Give viewers of that photo a call to action. What do you want them to do? Here are a few options:
- Join your email list
- Download an eBook
- Shop in your sale
- Make a booking with you
- Join your community
Work out what you want and then design a cover photo to help promote that. On Facebook, you have a button that people can click on to take that action. For other networks, consider using a shortened URL and adding it to the cover photo.
Here’s an example of my LinkedIn cover photo.
Let them get to know you better
Have you looked at the About section on your social media networks? Are they up to date? Do they accurately reflect how you serve your customers?
Again, this is your chance to show visitors how you can help them with their challenges, so really look at these sections across the social networks you use. Of course, they are of differing formats, using different word counts.
The main thing to consider is how you can get across the value you provide and be consistent on all networks. This is a challenge in itself as you’re limited to the number of characters you can use on Twitter and Instagram. But put your thinking cap on and you’ll be able to come up with a way to describe your business.
How can visitors contact you?
This is a biggie. What if someone wants to talk to you before they do business with you? Make it as easy as possible for them to do that by including your contact details. So, think carefully about how you can incorporate your contact details into your social media profiles.
It’s easy on, say Facebook and Instagram, where you’re given specific spaces to include phone numbers, email addresses and office/shop addresses. But what about Twitter? Well, if you’re creative, you can fit some of this information into your profile. But always include a link to your website, where visitors can find all the ways they can contact you.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a specific call to action you want visitors to take, make your cover photo the place you have your contact details. This is an example of one I created for a client of mine.
Where else can they find you on social media?
If you’re on more than one social network, you’ll want people to follow you in as many places as possible. The best way to achieve this is the link to those profiles. There are several ways to achieve this. For example, on Facebook, head to your ‘About’ section. Under ‘Additional Contact Details’ is where you can add other social media profiles. If you’ve already added one, hover to the right of it until the ‘edit’ menu appears, then click on this. You’ll then be able to add any additional ones you have.
Well, that was a whistle-stop tour of what you could be doing to maximise your social media profile. You’re only limited by your imagination. Do something today that makes you stand out!