Businesses are becoming increasingly technologically savvy realizing the full potential of the internet to launch their products and services into overdrive. With this increasing awareness of the power of social media and the internet comes fierce competition to achieve top rankings. Learning the most effective ways to optimize your business profile page therefore becomes tantamount to succeeding in today’s tech driven society.

Social Media is not just for the Guru’s Anymore

Social media platforms have become more user-friendly, making it possible for even the novice internet user to achieve expert status. Sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook have become powerful platforms for businesses to flex their marketing muscle and attract more customers. If you have an existing business, or are thinking of starting one and haven’t yet created a profile on either of these sites, you are missing an excellent opportunity. Social media is not just for catching up with old friends and starting new friendships. Due to its ease of use and intuitive features, these social platforms allow you to extend your marketing reach without breaking your budget. So how do you get started creating and optimizing a profile page?

Sign up for a Social Networking Profile

The first step is probably the most simple in the process. Since both sites offer free memberships with LinkedIn offering an advanced level paid membership that provides more visibility and networking features, sign up is easy and inexpensive. Once you’ve established a membership the next step is to complete your profile page. Please keep in mind that site rankings are not only based upon pre-determined algorithms which identify targeted keywords, but in many cases completed profiles are often indexed first. Therefore, completing your business profile is never a waste of time, it is actually time well invested in your success. Both LinkedIn and Facebook offer guidelines to help you thoroughly complete each section of the profile. Take the time to read each section requirement and any associated tips and really put thought into your entries. Take your time and be as thorough as you need to be. Try to imagine the interests of your target audience and hone in on these to make your profile more relevant; this additional step will provide the site more opportunity to identify key search related words on your page.

Optimize for Success 

Once you have prepared well-thought out responses to each section go back and ensure that you’ve included keywords that pinpoint your audience’s interests and preferences. This step is crucial to ensure that your profile page achieves the highest level of visibility. Now if you’re wondering why all the fuss about keywords, once the customer clicks through to my website and see’s the value of my products and services they will be sold, imagine your website being a small needle in a haystack that is twenty feet tall and five miles in diameter. Get the point? Your profile will never be seen by any potential customers if they can’t find you.

Your keywords need not be long, but targeted to the interests of your potential buyers. If you become stumped while completing this step, consider the words you would put in a search bar if you were looking for your products and services.

Networking is Your Friend

Just as no man is an island, no business can flourish with an island mentality either. What does this mean? Businesses need to network in order to grow and succeed. Word of mouth referrals are a powerful way to increase your client base because that first hand testimonial can really put you on the map. In addition, social medial platforms often offer internal rankings based on the size of the company’s network. If you are connecting with other businesses and receiving referral’s from them this will boost your visibility and credibility. So don’t be afraid to reach out and make friends, swap links and referrals. Participation in groups shows that you are community minded and willing to share ideas with others. Joining groups provide your profile with more exposure across different genres and puts you in touch with audiences that you might not reach otherwise.

If you haven’t tapped into the power of social media, don’t hold back. Follow these simple steps and rise to your full potential.