A Digital Health Check

Updating a LinkedIn profile or Google business listing isn’t top-of-mind for most of us when it comes to our checklist of tasks to do on a regular basis.

While we tend to dismiss these updates as unimportant jobs, they are significant contributors to protecting your online reputation. Keeping your profile up-to-date helps build brand recall and makes updated information easy to find for your customers. Most importantly, these updates help optimize your organic search rankings by sending signals to Google that your brand is accurate and trustworthy.

So, let’s do a digital health check today to make sure your online profiles are up-to-date.

1. Check your business listing in Google Maps – If you moved or changed offices recently and didn’t update the Google listing, then you are sending your customers to the old address. This goes against Google’s policies and signals a bad reputation for your company. Periodically check all your information under the Google business listing – address, hours of operation, images, services/products, and other safety updates.
2. Update your company description – Social media channels like LinkedIn contribute to your online search rankings. So, it’s important to update your brand messaging and key products and services across the board. Spreading a consistent message across all your online touchpoints will create trust and recall in the customer’s mind.
3. Refresh Channel Graphics – Every platform gives you an opportunity to display your brand promise visually. You can be creative and use this space to show what the brand stands for or promote a special offer or program you are running or introduce a new product or service.

If you have a presence on multiple platforms – Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, etc., be sure to take the time to update the description and graphics at least once every six months. As I mentioned above, this simple exercise sends a signal to search bots that the company’s profile is active and accurate. You’ll have a good baseline on solid digital health if you follow these steps.

Remember that, just like any other aspect of your business, digital profiles are important. They are often the first line of communication with potential customers, who often look to digital channels when they first explore what a company has to offer. Think of it as a great first impression that shows you take your work seriously.

There are additional steps you can take to boost your profile and listing to increase user engagement with your brand. These will vary by platform. Reach out to our team if you want help making your digital presence work for your brand.