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Spring Cleaning for Social Media

Published Thursday Apr 19, 2012

It's that time of year again and while many Americans think of housecleaning when they think of spring cleaning, professionals might consider an annual clean up of their social media profile.

Keeping social media clean and tidy will help make social media more effective for you. Don't let the weeds grow too long in your social media profile and certainly don't keep your audience waiting. Keep them engaged and you may be surprised by the effect social media can have on you and your organization.

Looking at social media profile, ask yourself if your information, job history, photos, and posts are out of date. If so, it's time for a spring cleaning. Here are five simple steps to stay social media savvy.

  1. Go through your e-mail and add the names of contacts to your social media. Start with LinkedIn. Go straight to that search field and start typing names. Do you collect business cards or have an app that does so for you? Bust this out right now and get going!
  2. Go postal! When was the last time you had a social media posting? If it was more than three weeks ago, you are in need of spring cleaning. First, write a post about you, your company, positive news, upcoming projects, or something to get the ball rolling. Don't stress too heavily on what to write just start! Next, whip out your planner and begin writing some broad topics for certain days. Now make sure you post regularly. Our rule of thumb is posting at minimum twice per week for your audience to stay engaged.
  3. Spring cleaning still involves cleaning. So, do you have old information on your profile? Maybe you still have a few colleagues or employees who have left your organization and know your social media passwords. Maybe your Facebook Timeline needs some sprucing up. Or perhaps you have some comments that you'd like to delete.This is the time to get this done. You will thank yourself!
  4. Team work is great. Too busy to keep your social media tidy? Get some help. Ask one or two employees in your organization to develop a timetable of who will post and when (that way there is no duplication) and make a plan. You may find this showcases new talent.
  5. Toot your own horn. Do you have your LinkedIn profile link on every signature line of your e-mail? Why not? Let others know that you want to connect. Have you had a great accomplishment and want to share it with others? Then do so.
Keep savvy!

Jennifer Vickery is CEO and president of National Strategies Public Relations and is a PR Social Media Coach and expert. She advises organizations and professional individuals on public relations efforts and campaigns with an emphasis on the growing trend of social media. National Strategies Public Relations (NSPR) is a national public relations agency based out of Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit nspublicrelations.com or call (727) 946-2082.

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