It’s time for spring cleaning, but are you neglecting your social media accounts? Just as you’re supposed to change your smoke detector’s battery when you change your clocks, the change of season is a good reminder to pay attention to your social profiles.

Review your social media goals

What are your plans for social media? What do you want people to learn when they visit your profiles? What feeling do you want them to have? What do you want them to know about you — or NOT know about you? What do you want them to DO when they land on your website? Take the time to audit your profiles to ensure you’re putting out the right messages.

Ask a friend or a coach what they think when they visit your social media profiles and when they look at your streams of information. Make sure you aren’t missing the mark when it comes to shaping a reputation you want to own.

Google Yourself

At least a few times a year, you should Google your own name. You want to know what comes up when people search for you online. What pictures show up? Are they of you? Is there someone who has your name and comes up before you online, even in LinkedIn? Make a note of things that show up high in search, and make a point to spend extra time making those things the best they can be. (For example, LinkedIn likely comes up high in search. Manage your profile there first, before you spend time anywhere else online.)

Update Your Bios

When is the last time you reviewed your bios? Whether they are short (like Twitter’s) or longer (such as your LinkedIn Summary), now is the time to give them a once over. Make sure to include new accomplishments and look over your materials with fresh eyes to update them.

Be sure you keep everything consistently updated. If you update LinkedIn, be sure to also update your resume.

Once you’ve addressed the big picture: scrub your profiles!

Review your “tags”

It’s a great idea to look into what photos you’ve taken over the past year and de-clutter. Be sure photos where other people tagged you are appropriate and speak to your brand. If not, find the “Untag” button. In Facebook, get started by “viewing your activity log.”

Un-follow

Is your LinkedIn feed getting too spammy? Are you tired of seeing the overly politically charged updates in Facebook? Weed out people you don’t want to hear from. In LinkedIn, you can block people (which means you won’t see their updates, and they won’t see your content, either). LinkedIn won’t notify the blocked people! (Just click on the arrow next to the endorse button on their profile.)

In Facebook, if you don’t want to “unfriend,” people, you can unfollow and they won’t be any wiser! Choose the  “following” button on the person’s Facebook page and select. “unfollow”

Disconnect from apps you aren’t using.

Have you given “permissions” to apps you don’t use anymore? Disconnect them!

In Twitter: go to settings and apps – disengage from anything you’re not using now.

In Facebook, find apps behind the Activity log button.

Change Your Passwords

Update and change your passwords.

If you have trouble keeping track of passwords, you can use a password management program such as LastPass. Also, be sure you are using your personal email for LinkedIn; it’s not a good idea to use a work email or an email you never check!

Manage your brand

How are you engaging?

Check how you’re engaging in your networks. For example: look along the left side of your Facebook profile – are there groups you aren’t using? Feel free to remove yourself.

How about LinkedIn groups? Did you join a bunch and never engage? Consider focusing on a few groups for the next few months.

If you use Twitter, click on settings, and check apps. You may want to revoke permissions for some if you are not using them.

Your visuals:

On one hand, a consistent photo makes it easy for people to follow you, but this is a good time to consider a change. IF you have a business, make sure you check your logos and other visuals to make sure they still fit and are on brand.

Your email addresses and notifications

Are you checking your LinkedIn email regularly? Sometimes, people forget what emails they’ve listed for different networks, use a new email address and miss out on opportunities.

What now?

Now that everything is clean and tidy, commit to creating a stream of content that will demonstrate your expertise and grow your influence and presence in your field of choice!

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