Setting up your social media profile is easy, but creating a brand that is recognisable in the industry is a whole different ball game.

Below are 5 easy tips on how to create a social media profile that is relevant and up to date.

1. Make sure your social media profile is updated

Each social media platform caters for a different element as to who you are online. Make sure you leverage off them.
Here’s what to look for on the top 3 social media networks:

• LinkedIn: This is a professional platform that really focusses on who you are and what you bring to the table as a professional. Sell yourself. Remember to include all work experience, skills, education, certificates as well as links to your portfolio if applicable.
• Twitter: This should be a short bio of who you are, no longer than a 160 characters. Even though this is not much you are able to include links to your website, blog etc. This helps to add some meat to who you are.
• Facebook: Did you know Facebook has an “About” section? This is a section a lot of people forget about as they only think of Facebook as a photo album to show how “great” their lives are. Remember to add some fun facts about yourself there.

2. Let them know you are human

Let your audience see the softer side of who you are. Respond to your audience in a fun way that portrays your personality. That is why they call it Social Media, otherwise they might as well have called it Electronic Networking. Most imporant though is to stay consistent in the flow of information you provide on your social media platform. It doesn’t help being active for 2 weeks and then nothing for another two months.

3. Use LinkedIn’s recommendations

This is a great feature that is definitely underutilised. You have the capability to endorse other people and also ask for recommendations.
This instantly adds credibility to your social media profile. Remember your key focus on LinkedIn should be social selling, not only of your products or services but also selling yourself.

4. Include the social media icons on your website

Whether it’s your company website or your personal one make sure the icons are included. Don’t make people feel like blood hounds that have to track you down, make it easy for them to find you. This will make it easier for those who come to read your stuff to like or follow you.

5. Be visual

Photos and images do far better on social media than just adding comments on a Twitter feed or boring updates on Facebook. If you want to make an impact on social media make sure images are part of your strategy.

Images that do well is:
• Team photos
• Event photos
• Behind the scene photos
• Infographics

Make sure that what you put out there is allowed to go viral.

Whatever it is that works for you, keep doing it, but try and evolve as you go along. If you haven’t tried anything new you will never know and you might become another boring social media profile people start seeing as spam.