Guest Post by Kara Masterson
Optimizing your social media footprint may seem daunting at first, but the results make the effort worthwhile. The legwork of locating every online profile you’ve created could take a few searches and an afternoon or two, but a unified presence better presents your brand, and helps consumers know they’ve the business (your business) they’ve been looking for.
There are several ways you can gather all your social media accounts used in your home business, freelance or job search, to unify their appearance. One is to use the site Namech_k to find profiles carrying your username. Another is to search “Welcome” in your business e-mail account(s), to bring up all of your registrations (assuming you didn’t delete them).
Once identified, analyze each account to make them consistent in areas such as your log, brand, product and service, and profile statement or biography. Other areas to check include local SEO items, such as your business address on each page and keyword consistency with your Website.
Once your profiles are consistent, you’ll discover four perks:
1. Consistent Branding
You may not immediately notice the effect of your consistent branding, but your customers will. It better presents your brand and lets customers know they’ve found the right business when your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google for Business all match. No matter what site a consumer uses, they’ll see your message as you intend, and everyone sees the same thing.
It’s also a great idea to share posts between social media (i.e. share your Facebook page with your Twitter followers), which can help consumers discover you on other sites. When one person follows you, their network will see it and may want to know about your business.
Lastly, in order to stay consistent it is also essential that you are always monitoring certain social data metrics, which will let you know what’s working and what you might need to tweak.
2. Audience Data
Keeping your social accounts consistent and measuring your data, can gather data about the people who are following you. You’ll be able to learn from their interactions with the existing content and each other. You can also draw from their location, post timing, and other interests as reflected on their own profiles. You’re sitting on a treasure trove of unmined big data.
3. Improved Search Engine Rank
Every time you use your business name and address on a Web page exactly as it appears on your Google for Business page, you increase your local SEO rank. Matching this information throughout your social media presence, including each page of your Web site, bolsters your business in search results under Google’s most recent algorithms. Even if you only use the five main social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google – you’ve provided your business five mentions beyond your Web site pages. Don’t forget to make industry-related registrations match, as well. Google counts the appearance of your business name and address in business directories.
4. Additional Income Stream
Once you’ve mastered the basics of optimizing your social media, you can charge others to help them as well. You offer a turnkey white label SEO to provide audience research, keyword research, content pieces, onsite optimization, brand development, and metrics. You can offer a ready solution to those who want to replicate your brand building success.
You’ll experience numerous perks from optimizing your social media footprint, but brand consistency, audience data, improved search engine rank and an opportunity to share your knowledge – and generate income from it – top the list. The short time it takes to optimize your social media compares little with what you’ll reap from it.
Author Bio- Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max. Kara recommends sites like Multifuse for more information on how to boost your business.
