When was the last time you asked a colleague to critique one or more of your social media sites?

I advise you to periodically have someone with a decent understanding of how social media works in business spend some time with your LinkedIn profile, your Facebook business page, or your Twitter bio and offer you honest constructive criticism.

You might be surprised what they pick up on.

I am not necessarily suggesting that you pay this person – trade your time for theirs, by which I mean that you will do the same for one or more of their sites.

That’s what I did recently with Curtis Cloutier, National Marketing Manager of Title and Escrow for National 1 Source, a national company that handles title and escrow matters.

We met at a nearby Panera Bread Company location, grabbed a cup of coffee each, and went to work.

Because we met in the mid-afternoon, we didn’t have to rush or get bounced off their wifi, which is limited during meal times. We each invested 90 minutes of our time and the cost of a cup of coffee, and the results were absolutely worth the investment.

 

Recommendations I Gave Curtis

• Update his professional photo
• Expand his summary to take better advantage of the 2,000 characters allowed
• Move his job as a Realtor higher in his list of experiences
• Provide more specifics for how he helps Realtors with LinkedIn and Meetup groups
• Increase the number and variety of his endorsements by asking his LinkedIn network members to endorse him for specific skills he wants to showcase
• Increase the number of recommendations he has, again by asking for them from his LinkedIn connections and to also give more recommendations

 

Recommendations Curtis Gave Me

• Add a tagline in the name section of my profile so people can instantly connect my name with what I do
• Update my headline to avoid duplication of my new tagline
• Expand the description of the services I offer
• Avoid listing my exact birthday (just leave off the year)
• Selectively use LinkedIn’s email address book option as a way to connect with more people

 

How About You?

Have you ever wondered if your LinkedIn profile was up to snuff? Or have you looked at your Facebook business page and realized it needs some sprucing up?

You could always pay a social media consultant to give you some feedback and guidance – and sometimes that is what is required, especially if you are new to the process, don’t have anyone to ask, or need major renovations.

But with since so many business owners are getting savvier about their use of social media, you might not have to pay for an honest and helpful critique. I would love to know how you currently get reviews of your social media presence.

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 and up, to become more comfortable using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.

She works with business owners, nonprofit organizations, retired people, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.