How to Maintain a Perfect Social Media Profile in 2024

Are you new to the digital realm or about to dive into it to take your brand to new heights but have absolutely no idea where and how to start? 

Or wait, lemme guess: you’re already on your way to creating an account on some of those social media platforms everyone keeps talking about but thinking, “How do I set up the ‘perfect social media profile’ when I don’t even know the first thing about it?”  

Don’t worry, I’m gonna be your knight in sparkly, shining armor in this super-helpful-info-packed article.

What are social media profiles?

Think of your social media profile as your own cosy little corner of the internet. It’s this digital space of yours where you can show off your interests, connect with other people, and share your thoughts, ideas and perspectives with others.

Kind of like a scrapbook. But virtual. One that you can keep updating as you go with new photos, posts, and other forms of content over time.

Get the gist? Let’s get a lil’ business-y now. Be it a personal accounts or a business one, your social media profile should represent your brand’s (and that doesn’t always mean a company, marketing yourself counts as a personal brand, too!) personality, interests, and your brand’s one-of-a-kind voice. With this, you can really connect with your audience, engage with other users, and ultimately build a community around your brand that trusts your opinion more than your mom does!

For example, let’s say you’re a food blogger and you wanna build your online presence. Now, unless you’re one of the imma-just-be-in-my-basement-till-AI-takes-over kinda person, the first platform you’re gonna resort to is probably Instagram or TikTok (whatever floats your boat). 

There, you’re gonna wanna share photos of your favorite recipes, a list of must-try restaurants, cooking hacks etc. Your profile for it, then, would probably include your name, a profile picture that gives off foodie vibes, and a probably-food-incorporated bio that sums up who you are and what you do. And before you know it, you’ve got more than 1K followers following your advice and sending you grateful DMs.

Why do you need a social media profile?

Now, you can try and debate your way out of this by saying things like “But I can get sales via contacts” and “companies existed and got successful back when there was no social media too” but just a heads up, you’re not gonna win this time.

I’m gonna tell you why it is SUPER ESSENTIAL for you to have a social media profile and a good one at that. You know that cool place in town where everyone hangs out and no one wants to be the person waiting outside? Yeah, well, that cool place? That’s social media and trust me, you don’t wanna miss out on being part of the fun.

Brand Awareness

Apart from the fact that literally every platform requires and encourages you to create a social media profile, brand awareness is a pretty good reason why it’s so important to start setting up yours. 

Whether you’re a freshly-kicked-off business or a person, having a strong social media presence can really get your name out there and increase your visibility. By sharing your unique voice and personality on social media, you can connect with a wider audience and start building brand recognition.

Increases Sales

When you have a brand, you want people to know about it and buy your products or services. Social media is a great way to do so. But for your social media account to increase your incoming $$$, you need to have a perfect social media profile – one that shows your brand in the best way possible (I’ll tell you how to get there in a bit).

What happens when you do have a perfect profile? More people are gonna see your brand and get to know about it. Then they’re gonna see your products or services on social media, and if you’ve got some quality content or genuineness going on, BAM! They’re gonna make that purchase.

Provides Connectivity

The list doesn’t end there! Social media profiles allow for greater connectivity, which sometimes can’t be possible otherwise. Take constructive criticism and feedback, for example. Maybe you launched a social media campaign and you might’ve missed a few things that your followers might’ve noticed. Or maybe they’re potential customers and have got some queries they need answers to. How do they contact you? Through your social media profile! And, how do they know you’re the right person to contact? By looking at your social media profile AKA your profile picture, name, bio, posts etc.

Related Read: How to Positively Handle Negative Comments on Social Media?

Learn from competitors

Speaking of relationships, it’s also a great way to learn from your competitors. By following other brands in your niche and keeping tabs on their social media profiles and what they’re doing, you can get a better sense of what works and what doesn’t. Plus, you can also get some inspo for your own social media strategy and find new ways to stand out from the crowd.

Relationships

Huge pro: social media profile lets you connect with your audience in a more personal way, and create relationships that can lead to long-term loyalty (high-five if you thought of your pet dog too!) By sharing content that resonates with your followers, responding to comments and messages, and building a community around your brand, you can create a bond that goes beyond just a transactional relationship.

Engagement

Wanna know the best part? It provides an opportunity for unlimited engagement! By creating content that encourages comments, shares, saves and likes, you can start conversations and build a sense of community around your brand. And by responding to those comments, Instagram messages, and engaging with your followers, you can create a two-way dialogue that helps build trust and loyalty. Buh-bye lonely days because your social media fam’s got your back!

What should your social media profiles include? 

When it comes to setting up a social media profile, there are a couple of things you’re gonna wanna consider in order to make sure you’re bringing your A game to the digital realm.

Profile picture

Your profile picture is the very first thing people will see when they come across your profile. That means none of those Snapchat-doggie-filter-half-face photos and take-a-picture-of-me-from-a-mile-away-with-my-back-facing-the-camera.

Your profile picture or PP needs to be like the front of your awesome imaginary store – eye-catching, impression-worthy and an apt representation of your brand, or you.

Bio

Coming from someone who took ages to write her own, I know how the pressure of writing your social bio can make the whole process feel like never-ending torture. You write something, then you erase it, then write it again but the words don’t even make sense anymore and suddenly, your nose is itchy and the fan’s making too much noise and before you know it, your writer’s/creative block surfaces.

But here’s a tip I WISH I knew earlier. Instead of thinking of it as some god-awful uni project, think of your bio as an opportunity to tell people who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. If it helps, try imagining talking to someone new at work or think of it as a huge sign above your store that passersby can read to learn more about your store.

Cover photo

This is honestly my favourite part and if you’re big on expression and communication, I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be yours too. While profile pictures do the needful, your cover photo is a really good way to let people on on a little bit more about your brand and give them a glimpse of what you’re all about. Think of it like the interior and decor in your store – whatever fits your aesthetic, and something that’s relevant to you or your brand.

Links

Now, this is super, super important. And lemme tell you why. People love travelling. They wanna be taken places and not just stay stuck in one place. 

See that little space for links? Yeah, make sure you fill it up. Include links to your website, blog, ask.fm, portfolio or any other social media profiles. What does it do? It helps people find out more about you or your brand and connect with you on other platforms (possibly even turn into potential leads but shh).

Content

Depending on the platform, your social media profiles should include a variety of content, such as pictures, videos, and written posts. Remember your imaginary store? Content is like the products in there – you wanna offer a lot of different things that’ll appeal to different people.

Contact information

Playing hard to get might be a good way to get your crush’s attention but it sure isn’t for your audience. Make it easy for people to get in touch with you. Put your email address, phone number, office location, Calendly link or any other contact information necessary. This is like the customer service desk in that store of yours – you want people to know they can reach out to you if they’ve got any questions or concerns.

Consistency

I know this one’s a cliche but trust me, it’s true. Consistency really is key. Especially when you’re trying to make an impression of yourself or your brand across social media platforms, aka when there are online records of it available to pretty much anyone and everyone. 

Make sure your branding is consistent across all your social media profiles. What does this mean? Use the same profile picture, same cover photo, and the same bio on all platforms. You know how colour schemes and signages are supposed to be the same across all the outlets and branches of a store? This is like that – it helps people spot your brand from a mile away and feel more comfortable.

11 ways to optimize your social media profiles

I know you’ve probably heard the word ‘optimizing’ a lot and avoided it or tried to figure out what it is with the little context available but I’ve got a gift for you today. I’m gonna tell you what it means.

Optimizing means finding ways to make things work better. It’s like when you play a video game and you try to make your character stronger by getting better weapons or levelling up. You’re basically optimizing your character so you can do better in the game.

Another example is when a chef optimizes a recipe by modifying the amounts of ingredients or cook times to make the dish taste even better. They’re trying to make the recipe as good as it can possibly be.

How can optimizing your social media profile help you? Increased engagement, massive follower growth, improved online presence and a bunch of other cool stuff. 

Here are 11 ways to optimize your social media profiles + examples:

1. Choose the right profile picture: Your profile picture is the first thing people see, so make sure it’s crystal clear, high quality, and represents your brand.

2. Write an engaging bio: Your bio should be clear, concise, and it should provide an idea of what people can expect from you.

3. Use keywords: Use relevant keywords and phrases that people might already be searching for in your bio and throughout your posts to help them find your content more easily.

4. Link to your website: Add a link to your website or blog in your bio to drive traffic to your site.

5. Use a consistent brand voice: Make sure you use the same tone, voice, theme and style in all your social media posts to build a consistent brand voice.

6. Include a call-to-action (CTA): You might as well just throw your entire profile out the window if it doesn’t lead people somewhere. Get them to take action by always including some sort of call-to-action in your posts.

7. Use hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to help people find your content and increase your reach. Remember: 3-5 right ones work much more than 8-10 random/vague ones.

8. Post regularly: Post content regularly to keep your audience engaged and interested in your brand. If you find it hard to remember to post, try scheduling your posts altogether via scheduling tools like ContentStudio.io.

9. Share high-quality content: Share high-quality images, videos, and other content that will capture your audience’s attention.

10. Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and messages, and engage with your audience to build relationships and grow your following.

11. Analyze your metrics: Use the in-built social media analytics in each platform or third-party analytics tools to track your performance and make changes to your strategy as needed.

Final thoughts

I know this sounds like A LOT of work, and if you’re anything like me AKA a lazy bum who’d rather use a dry shampoo and get out of the house than opt for an actual wash day, setting up your social media profile can seem like a never-ending task. I bet you’ve probably already started procrastinating. But take my word for it, really investing some time in setting up your social media profile will definitely be worth it.

Think of it like this (I know. Another super cheesy analogy but you gotta bear with me, here): a successful social media profile is like one of those trees that takes a bit of effort and hard work in the start and eventually, as you put in the needful, it grows to be strong and full of fruits and flowers.

Let’s be honest. You’re thinking of saving this link in your sticky notes for later. Well, not today, you won’t. Fire up that laptop of yours ASAP, grab a sandwich, take the time to create and optimize your profiles on the platforms that matter most to your audience, and watch as your online presence grows and your brand becomes more recognizable while you’re on vacay on a weekday and sipping iced teas by the pool.

Also Read: Create a Social Media Calendar in 2024

FAQs

How often should I update my social media profiles in 2024?

First of all, try to maintain a consistent posting schedule on your social media profiles to keep them fresh and relevant. Depending on the platform, posting anywhere from once a day to a couple of times a week will work. But the key, and you gotta remember this, is to balance quantity with quality, so make sure each post of yours is well thought-out and really adds value to your followers’ lives.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when maintaining a social media profile in 2024?

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when maintaining a perfect social media profile:

• posting too frequently,
• not engaging with your audience and neglecting them,
• using poor-quality images or videos, and
• failing to respond to comments or messages 

It’s also VERY important to avoid controversial or polarizing topics that could make your followers feel left out as much as possible.

What should I post on my social media profiles to keep them up-to-date in 2024?

Your social media profiles should include a mix of high-quality images, engaging videos, and relevant written content that matches your audience’s interests and needs. You can also share user-generated content, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business or personal life, and updates on new products or services. Packaging videos and meet-the-team videos are also swell.

How can I measure the success of my social media profiles in 2024?

You can track the success of your social media profiles by monitoring engagement metrics aka the likes, comments, saves and shares on your posts, stories and reels. In case you want to really get in there and see a more detailed analysis, you can use the analytics tools provided by each of the platforms or third-party tools such as User Maven to track your performance over time and modify your strategy accordingly.