Social Media Spring Cleaning

@1986 DuBois Beavers Majorette Squad

Is your social media profile

"so last millenium?"

If you've been on social media for any length of time, it may be a while since you've looked at your profile pages.  It is so easy to focus on chatting and sharing that those profile become a distant memory. But for potential customers, the profile page is a critical source of information.

"Out with the Past"
Just like people, businesses evolve over time. With the new Timeline roll-out on Facebook, I started to view my profile pages (on Facebook and beyond) with fresh eyes. I need a mini-makeover to bring my pages up to date. The biggest thing I need to work on is getting rid of the photos of old work that don't reflect my current artistic style.

"Open for Business" or "Locked Door"
Dated or haphazard profiles don't help anyone communicate well, however, for those of us who own creative businesses, they can be a business dead-end. For us, social media profile pages, blogs, and other online pages double as doors to our business.

I'm often surprised at how many times I've stumbled upon a great artist or photographer I can't figure out how to buy their work.

The latest example was a local photographer. Friends of mine posted their first family portrait on Facebook. It was such a precious photo that I had to check out the photographer's site. It was a beautiful gallery site with lots of examples of her work, but I couldn't find any contact info. I later realized that her information was at the bottom of the page. It didn't show up in my window until I scrolled down, which I had no reason to do because everything else was visible "above the fold."A "contact" or "about" tab at the top would have made all the difference in the world.

Julie Buck Photography

Another place that I see a many locked doors is on Flickr. While you are not permitted to conduct business on Flickr, you are allowed to have links on your profile page. The same applies to Pinterst. Too many people ignore their profile pages. One simple link to your store can mean the difference between a sale and a dead-end. Just remember, never link to a commercial listing from your Flickr photos, you could lose your account.

Inactivity can also make your social media presence look like a locked door to buyers. If you really aren't interested in maintaining a blog or other page that you started, you may want to put a note up saying that you've moved onto other things and let them know where they can find you now. 

Social Media (early) Spring Cleaning Checklist:
1. Business information is easy to find.
2. Information is interesting and up-to-date
3. Great photos of current work are there.

If you have some spare time, hop around my sites  and let me know what dust bunnies you find. There are plenty!

What is on your spring cleaning list?