By Melanie Boylan
Auditing your social media presence is an essential process for evaluating your digital marketing effectiveness. It ensures that your platforms are aligned with your brand identity and are optimised for growth. In this post, we will break down how to conduct a social media audit, and these insights are based from a discussion on the Monday Morning Marketing Podcast with Esther and Melanie, in Episode 29.
What is a Social Media Audit?
A social media audit is essentially a health check of your social media platforms. It's a way to assess where your business stands on social media and to identify opportunities for improvement. During an audit, you’ll be checking for things like branding consistency, platform optimisation, and audience engagement.
Steps to Conduct a Social Media Audit
- Check Your Branding Across Platforms Start by going through each platform where your business is active. Make sure that your name, branding, and messaging are consistent across all platforms. Your handles should be as close to identical as possible to make it easy for users to find you.
If you're unable to claim the exact handle you want (because it’s already taken), aim for something as close as possible. For instance, you might need to add an underscore, a dot, or even a number. But avoid making your handle complicated or difficult to remember. As Esther notes, overly complex handles may come across as spammy to potential customers.
- Optimise Your URLs Many businesses forget to claim their URLs on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. Instead of having a long, unmanageable URL full of numbers, it’s important to customise your URLs to reflect your business name. This makes your pages easier to share and more professional.
For example, if your Facebook page URL looks like facebook.com/theMondaymorningmarketing/123xyz..., you should shorten it to something like facebook.com/theMondayMorningMarketing. The same principle applies to LinkedIn—claiming your name or business name in the URL will make your profile easier to find.
- Review and Update Your About Section Your "About" section or bio on each platform should reflect your current services, location, and other pertinent information. Over time, these details can become outdated, so it's a good idea to review them during your audit. As Melanie points out, your business may have evolved, or you might have introduced new products or services. Ensure that your bio is current and speaks directly to your target audience.
- Analyse Your Audience and Engagement A significant part of a social media audit involves analysing your performance on each platform. Look at the data from your analytics tools to determine which types of posts resonate most with your audience. Are there seasonal trends that affect your business? Identifying patterns in engagement can help you craft more targeted content in the future.
- Assess Platform Relevance Not every platform will be relevant to your business. As Melanie mentions, just because a social media platform is popular doesn’t mean your business needs to be on it. If a platform isn’t helping you reach your audience, you might consider scaling back your activity there or leaving the platform altogether. However, it’s still wise to claim your handle, even on platforms you don’t plan to use, to prevent others from impersonating your brand.
- Check Your Visual Content It's crucial that your images are up to date and optimised for each platform. Check to make sure that your profile pictures, cover photos, and post images are of high quality and appropriate dimensions. Consider updating them with seasonal themes or special promotions if relevant to keep your content fresh and engaging.
- Monitor Your Google Business Profile Google Business Profile (GBP) is often overlooked in social media audits, but it’s crucial for local businesses. Make sure your GBP profile is updated, and remove any outdated images or information that no longer represents your brand. Positive reviews on Google can also boost your credibility, so encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews.
Why is a Social Media Audit Important?
Regular audits help you stay on top of your social media game. They provide you with insights into what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to adjust your strategy accordingly. An audit also ensures that your brand remains consistent across platforms, giving your audience a cohesive experience.
By conducting a thorough social media audit, you can optimize your platforms, improve audience engagement, and ensure your social presence reflects the quality of your business.
If you haven't audited your social media in a while, now is the time to start. And remember to do it regularly—at least every six months—to keep your platforms running smoothly.
Are you ready to conduct a social media audit? Reach out if you need help optimising your strategy, and stay tuned for more insights from the Monday Morning Marketing Podcast!
