The 2024 Social Media Health and Optimization Checklist

There are some things that, if you want or need them done, you need to take action without thinking.

Social media growth isn’t one of them.

You're reading this blog, so chances are you’re always seeking advice and inspiration for how to grow your social media for itself or as a pipeline to your business or creative work.

It means you’re intentional about your growth; part of intentionality is reflecting on the past to find lessons for the future.

Taking the time to do this is a healthy habit to incorporate to ensure you’re not repeating past mistakes or missing anything vital about what might be the key to your growth.

In the spirit of reflection, I’ve created a checklist for you to do just that — but for your social.

I’ve tried to make it as general as possible so you can use it for any platform. Regular check-ups and updates like these are the backbone of a healthy social media presence. Here's to your success in the new year 🍾

Profile Basics Check

• Profile Picture: Is your profile picture professional and reflective of your brand's personality? Does it stand out even in thumbnail size?
• Bio/About Section: Does your bio effectively communicate who you are, what you offer, and why people should care? Have you included relevant keywords for searchability?
• Contact Information: Is all your contact information accurate and easily accessible for potential connections or customers?
• Links: Is the link in your bio leading to a current, relevant landing page such as your latest content, offer, or website homepage?

Content Strategy Refresh

• Content Audit: Which types of content (images, videos, articles) received the most engagement in the past year? Are there noticeable trends in the topics that resonated with your audience?
• Content Plan: Based on your audit, what balance of content types and topics will you aim for? Have you considered experimenting with new content formats?
• Posting Schedule: Have you identified the best times and days to post based on when your audience is most active? Are you leveraging scheduling tools to maintain consistency?

Engagement Analysis

• Response Rate: How quickly are you responding to comments and direct messages? Are you acknowledging and engaging with user-generated content that mentions your brand?
• Audience Interests: Have you conducted surveys or polls to gather insights on your audience's current interests or challenges?
• Collaborations: Have you listed potential brands, influencers, or thought leaders for collaboration? How will these partnerships provide value to your audience?

Visual Consistency Check

• Aesthetic Review: Do your recent posts maintain a consistent color scheme, style, and quality that aligns with your brand’s visual identity?
• Profile Theme: For visually-driven platforms, does your profile present a cohesive and appealing theme when viewed as a whole?

Brand Messaging Alignment

• Voice & Tone: Are you consistently using a voice and tone that reflects your brand's personality across all captions, comments, and direct communications?
• Value Proposition: Does your content clearly showcase your unique benefits, and is it aligned with your target audience's needs and desires?

Platform-Specific Features Usage

• Features Update: Are you up to date with the latest platform features, and are you using them in a way that enhances your content (e.g., long-form, live videos, carousels)?
• Algorithm Check: Have you adapted your content and engagement strategy in response to recent changes in the platform's algorithm?

Community and Network Building

• Community Engagement: Are you actively engaging in conversations within your niche? Are you contributing to relevant groups or forums?
• Networking Efforts: How often are you reaching out to new profiles, and are you effectively using hashtags to discover and engage with new content?

Security and Privacy Review

• Privacy Settings: Have you reviewed your privacy settings to ensure they match your current needs for public visibility and interaction?
• Password Update: When did you last update your passwords, and are you using a secure method to manage them?

Goals and Metrics Review

• Analytics Review: Are you regularly reviewing your analytics to understand content performance, follower growth, and engagement trends?
• Goal Setting: Based on your review, what specific, measurable goals have you set for the next period, and what strategies will you employ to achieve them?

Accessibility Check

• Inclusivity: Have you made your content accessible to a broader audience, including using image descriptions and video captions?
• Diverse Content: Does your content reflect a commitment to diversity and inclusion, both in the imagery used and the topics covered?

If you want to make this a habit, bookmark this article to return to every month or year. Good luck!