10 Quick Ways to Optimize Your Social Media Pages

With more than 300 million people using social media monthly, it’s no surprise that three out of four small businesses use social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest as a way to share and connect with their customers.  

Whether you’re a social media butterfly or just getting started, your business pages must be properly set up so current and potential customers can find and engage with your company. Here are a few quick ways you can boost the visibility of your pages.  

Facebook – Maximizing Your Page Info 

Claim Your Vanity URL  When you create a business page, Facebook assigns a URL with a series of letters and numbers. You can customize your URL to match your brand and make it easy to share. Find out how here. 

Use the Right Images on Your Profile  Use your store’s logo as your profile picture so customers can quickly identify your brand. Your cover photo is prime real estate that can be used to highlight seasonal promotions or campaigns. 

Note: Be careful of using too much text – your cover image scales down when your page is viewed on a mobile device, which could limit the visibility of your message. 

HINT | Quickly resize your images using Landscape from Sprout Social. 

Use Every Section  The more complete your info section, the better and more searchable. At the very least, ensure your page is up to date with: 

• Description - this should be brief, to the point and highlight your USP.

• Categories - get as specific as possible.

• Local details such as phone number, website, email address, physical address, service hours.

• Operation details like price range, business hours, and temporary service changes (especially any operational impacts from COVID-19).

• A call-to-action button that prompts your audience to book with you, contact you, download your app, and more. Learn how here. 

Instagram – Create Your Brand’s Bio 

Update Your Profile Picture  Similar to Facebook, your Instagram profile picture should be your logo. It’s your best bet to ensure customers can quickly identify your brand on the platform.  

Add a Keyword to Your Name   You can easily increase your page’s visibility by including a keyword specific to your business after your company name (e.g. Red's Cycling Shop | Bike Store).

HINT | Instagram limits names to 30 characters, so be sure your company name is listed before you try to add any keywords. Clear, Eye-Catching Bio  Use Instagram's bio section to quickly bring attention to your location, types of products you sell or content you will share, and if applicable, any branded hashtags you use.

HINT | Use emojis and line breaks so your audience can quickly get an understanding of your business. One-Shot for Clicks  For pages with fewer than 10K followers, the link in the bio section is the only place businesses can use to drive traffic away from Instagram. You can make the most of this by linking to a place on your website where users can convert. Examples include:

• Your email sign up form. 

• The shop section on your website. 

• A landing page for current promotions. 

HINT | You can and should change this link out to align with your business needs. Be sure to include a mention in your bio section that describes what the user can expect when clicking the link. Pinterest – Claim Your Space Note: Pinterest is most effective when used to promote eCommerce.  Identify Your Brand  As with the other social networks, make sure your Pinterest profile picture is your logo and that you have an eye-catching cover image that reflects your business.  Also, be sure to fill out your profile with: 

• Your company name. 

• Relevant username. 

• Email address. 

• Physical location. 

• A brief description of your store and what makes you unique. 

• A link to your website. 

Claim Your Website  By claiming your website on Pinterest, you can gain access to information on pins you create as well as content from your website that users may have already pinned. You can also claim your Instagram and YouTube pages to help distribute your pins.  Learn how to claim your websites here.

Featured Boards  You can set featured boards to give users who visit your page a snapshot of your company. Your featured boards will be highlighted at the top of your profile and automatically rotate. Learn how to set your featured boards here.  DISCUSS: How have you optimized your business pages? Share your tips or leave a question in the comments.

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Jeaneen Bengtson is a digital marketing professional with a proven track record of creating strategic, engaging, and data-driven marketing campaigns. With a background in public relations and in-depth experience in social media, content, product, and digital marketing, Jeaneen has a unique ability to see business opportunities from multiple vantage points. Click here to connect with Jeaneen.