The best of business advice and life coaching reminds us to plan for the future and live in the present. To grow a business, typically an owner needs to be constantly moving forward.
And that is GREAT. But the “old” stuff, the foundational concepts, the OG materials, it gets left behind. Then it gets forgotten. Then it gets dusty. We forget about these things because they’re no longer “us.”
Trends for organizing may come and go, and whether you tried to spark joy or not, the home tradition that has last generation is the ritual of spring cleaning.
On any literal spring cleaning list, they remind you to clean your baseboards. Now while the trick with dryer sheets really does work, the baseboard of your social media is your bio.
Every social media platform has a variation of a bio. Facebook, check that About Section. On LinkedIn, don’t forget about your headline. Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram all have bio sections, of admittedly varying length, that should reflect who you are and what you’re doing today, not 14 months ago.
Make spring the time of year to check in on your social media strategy and recalibrate. Once you’re done with the floorboards, you move on to your vents and your ceiling fans. In your house, this is what blows air around. In social media, the two things moving content around, and that need evaluation are your strategy level and your platform level.
Do you have established key performance indicators (KPIs) and are they reflective of what goals you are pursuing now in your business? Can those KPIs be met on the platforms you currently consistently communicate with your audience?
When was the last time you checked in on what your competitors are doing? We never, ever, want to suggest duplicating or plagiarizing, but being unaware of where your content falls along the spectrum of your industry is a dangerous oversight. Not unlike finding mildew in your air vents. The breath of fresh air from this research is that you also gain insight into the content that is important to the people you want to work with
Once you’ve covered the basics of the whole scope of your social brand, it’s time to go room by room through the house.
Let’s Begin.
Is your basic contact info up to date? Phone number? Website? Email? Products? Group membership? Here’s a tip: if you haven’t left a comment in three months or more, leave the group.
Is there anything you needed to delete on your timeline? If a collaborator was a bad actor, you don’t want to support them. Those super secret special deals are only special if they’re limited, so delete or archive the posts you don’t want to continually advertise.
Diving deeper, it’s time to check your audience targeting. You might have pivoted in business, or introduced a new offer that impacts who you target through ads or boosted content. Knowing your customer well does not mean that you can just assume you know your online audience. Revisit age, interests, and other demographic markers.
Spring cleaning on Facebook is also the best time to review the type of content you’re creating and then incorporate the latest features. For example, facebook has a new feature called soundbites: https://www.facebook.com/
Check for old boards. Maybe your aesthetic has changed. Maybe you no longer offer that product. Check your pins to make sure they are reflective of the brand you are now. Diving deeper, check your hashtags. There may be new hashtags that would apply to older pins, drawing attention to the fact that you’ve been the OG expert all along. Like ripping up carpet to find beautiful hardwood underneath.
You’ve already updated that bio, now add hashtags to it! What trends most represent you. Delete content that no longer reflects you, and respond to comments that you might have missed along the way. If you are experiencing a dip in activity make sure that what you are sharing is aligned with your audience needs. After the what, expand the how. Posts are classic, but reels, stories, and lives are important too. Finally, dust off your own commenting skills. Instagram can only be successful if you’re actively posting, commenting on, and sharing content from other accounts. Who you follow is visible information, so Spring Cleaning your feed from both perspectives is the online version of using peppermint oil to ward off bugs; everything just feels fresh.
LinkedIn is like a second bedroom; the spring cleaning process is going to feel a little bit familiar. Again, your bio was the first thing you’ve updated. Now, review your employment history and confirm that your most valuable accomplishments are highlighted. Groups that you’re not actively engaging in? Leave them! Companies that don’t have missions that align with yours? Stop following them!
Next, LinkedIn has so many new features that you can incorporate. For example, do you have a profile video? https://www.linkedin.com/help/
Finally, check those referrals. Don’t be selfish, offer up referrals to colleagues and vendors you believe in. Do you have any from a person you admittedly don’t want to associate with anymore? Delete it. Then ask for more! You have new products and services, it’s time to share the accolades I know you’ve gotten.
TikTok
The first time tried your feet on a TikTok dance, did you just assume that no one would ever see it? Of course you did! TikTok rose in the wake of very shortlived apps and was predicted to go the way of SnapChat – fun, but never quite right for businesses. But old TikToks are like those do not remove tags on decorative pillows – YOU CAN GET RID OF THEM. It’s not mandatory, but spend a couple of minutes watching videos and asking yourself if they are truly, still, brand-aligned. There is no right or wrong answer as long as it’s authentic and intentional.
If TikTok has a reputation for anything asside from promoting cultural appropriation, it’s a strong algorithm. You don’t have to understand how algorithms work to know they’re important. Spend spring cleaning recalibrating the content you see by surfing and engaging with the right hashtags for your business.
Some people decide to paint during spring cleaning. Twitter is that hallway! This is the opportunity to add a new direction you’re heading in, or really hone in on your target market.
Update your picture and header, make sure your website and contact info are all correct. Take a look at your feed. Have you gone off on a tangent? Do you need to realign your self, your content, or your business? After all, you’ve got new stuff coming up. You’ve done new things in your business, prepare to let the world know!
More than any other feed, Twitter is where you need to be wary of bots. At home, a roomba is helpful. In social media, a fake account is a deterrent to your credibility and your engagement. Don’t follow them, and block them from following you.
In conclusion, spring cleaning is not remodeling. It’s not moving. It’s not downsizing. You don’t have to get rid of anything, or even do anything different. But you do need to stay fresh, stay clean, and stay you.
