Small biz quick win: optimise your social media profiles

Social media is a key marketing tool for every business, and we spend a lot of time, energy and money on what we’re posting. But when was the last time you reviewed your actual social media profile? Most of us will have set it up when we initially launched and then never looked at it again. Looking at it now, with all the knowledge and experience you’ve acquired, is it the best representation of your business? Does it clearly say who you are, what you do and show your personality?

Here’s my simple guide to optimising your social media profiles so they effectively communicate your biz to potential customers.

Does your profile image make sense for your business?

Most business profiles will use their logo for the profile image, but that’s not the only choice.

If you’re most well-known for one of your products or a particular artwork, maybe that’s a better representation of your business than your logo.

If you’re a solo operator, particularly in a service-based industry, consider putting your lovely face front and centre. Having your face pop up every time people interact with your profile is a great way to help them connect with you and your business, and demonstrate that they’re dealing with a person rather than a corporation.

If you do use your logo, there are a few things to keep in mind. Profile images are tiny on screen, so if your logo is overly detailed or has lots of text it may not be legible. Is there an alternate version of your logo that would better fit the space? All branding packages will give you a couple of options, usually including a small space logo or submark perfect for this situation.

The key things we’re aiming for with the profile image are attention-grabbing and recognition of your brand, so think clarity, think legibility, and think simple.

Take advantage of any extra assets

Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn also give you a header image to play with. It’s extra real estate to show off your business so whatever your profile image is, pick another element of your services to highlight here. Maybe it could be an image of the most recent work you’ve done or your shopfront (if you have one). If you have a team, this is a great place to show off everyone’s bright smiles – just keep in mind that the image will crop differently on each device type.

How’s your wordplay?

As passionate business owners, we can all get a little carried away at times. We try to talk about every aspect of our business and wind up confusing people who aren’t as familiar with it as we are. 

Your bio copy should be short, sharp and clear, giving a snapshot of your business. The key things you want to hit are:

• Who you are
• What you do
• Any big news (like a new product, sale or upcoming event)
• A CTA (call to action) telling people how to engage with you 

Social media platforms are the new search engines, so brainstorm some search terms that your customers might be searching for and sprinkle them strategically through your copy. Just make sure it still feels natural, and not like it was written by Chat GPT. If your audience is super niche, you can even add one to your account name. For example, instead of just ‘Business Name’, you could put ‘Business Name • Event Florist’.

Don’t be afraid to throw in some emojis, link to your personal profile or have fun with your copy. We’re people, not robots! Put yourself in the mindset of someone who has never heard of your business before – will this copy give them all the information they need to engage with you?

This is mine: 

Clean up your links

One of the most common mistakes is confusing potential customers by sending them to the wrong place. Most people will be on your profile for one specific reason – if they’re looking to buy ceramics from you and the only link you have takes you to a class schedule, you’re creating barriers to purchase. 

If you want to include links to multiple things, create a link tree (linktr.ee is a great free one). This gives you one link to put in your bio, which takes customers to a customised menu, where they can then select the path they want. Keep your menu item copy clear and concise so customers can easily find what they’re looking for.

Check your contact information

This sounds so obvious, but double-check that all your contact information is correct! Make sure the emails still go to the right place, that your phone number is right and that any buttons or links are sending people to the right places.

Shortcut consumer interactions with Instagram Action Buttons

Instagram business profiles come with a range of ‘action buttons’ you can add to your profile, depending on what kind of business you have. You can choose from ‘Book Now’, ‘Order Food’ and ‘Reserve’, and you can even add a form to capture contact details.

This are a great shortcut for your audience because they’re used to these on other profiles, and create a speedier funnel for people to engage with you.

Utilise Instagram Story Highlights

Instagram’s story highlights are very underrated. They’re at the top of your profile so one of the first things people see and give you an amazing opportunity to showcase different aspects of your business. 

Think about the key things you post stories about, and what people might be interested in viewing again, then sort these into categories. Some great ideas are client testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, product details or any regular content series you post. Try to use straight-forward names for each highlight.

You get bonus points for branded highlight covers! A great trick for this is just to make each one one of your brand colours.

Optimising your social profiles will only take you an hour or so, but it could make a huge difference in how people find you and how they engage with you. The easier you make it for people, the more engagement you’ll get.

Give it a go, and if you get stuck give me a shout.