How To Establish a Social Media Presence Checklist

Welcome! 👋 This checklist is a guide to help you kick start your digital footprint. You'd be surprised at the community you can build by utilizing social media and online business directories to promote your business. 🤝

Below you'll find some of the most important platforms, how to claim them, how to optimize profiles, and the benefits of each. And if you need help setting things up and creating content, reach out! We're here to help.

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Toolkit | How to Establish a Social Media Presence

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1. Preparation Before Claiming Accounts

• ✅ Define your brand identity

  • Logo, colors, fonts, tagline, and voice.

  • Utilizing sites like Canva can help you develop a brand standards document.

• ✅ Choose a consistent handle or username 

  • You want something recognizable across all platforms (EX: @YourBusinessName).

  • Utilize underscores or numbers if you need to add additional unique characters (EX: @MyBusiness_Rocks)

• ✅ Prepare high-quality assets

  • Logo/profile image

  • Banner/cover image

  • About/mission description

  • Important links/ if you have a lot, you might need a Linktree?

• ✅ Prepare content strategy

  • 3–5 posts ready for launch

  • Post frequency (e.g., 3x/week)

  • Engagement plan (replying to comments/messages)

• ✅ Determine which Platforms are right for you

  • Consider what type of community you'd like to create and choose your digital footprint.

    • Category 1: Discovery & Trust - Google Business Profile (GBP), Yelp, TripAdvisor, Apple Maps, Nextdoor

    • Category 2: Community & Retention - Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X

    • Category 3: Visual Discovery & Impulse - Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok

    • Category 4: B2B & Thought Leadership - LinkedIn, Industry-Specific Forums and Directories, Twitter/X

2. Platform-Specific Checklist

Platform	How to Claim & Optimize	Benefits
Google Business Profile (GBP)	1. Go to Google Business Profile 2. Enter business name & address 3. Verify via phone/mail/email 4. Add logo, cover photo, hours, services, website link 5. Add posts and Q&A	Boosts SEO, appears in Google Maps & search, adds credibility, can show reviews
Facebook Business Page	1. Go to Create Page 2. Enter business info & category 3. Add profile & cover images 4. Add website, contact info, hours 5. Set up messaging & review options 6. Post 1–3 times/week initially	Huge reach, advertising options, customer engagement, analytics via Insights
Instagram Business Profile	1. Create account or convert personal to business 2. Add bio, profile image, website link 3. Enable Contact button 4. Connect to Facebook page 5. Use highlights for important info	Visual storytelling, brand awareness, influencer partnerships, integrated with Facebook Ads
LinkedIn Company Page	1. Create page under “Work > Create a Company Page” 2. Add logo, banner, description, website, specialties 3. Invite employees to connect 4. Post industry news & updates	B2B networking, credibility, talent acquisition, industry thought leadership
Twitter / X	1. Create account with brand handle 2. Add logo, header image, bio, website 3. Enable notifications for mentions 4. Pin key tweet (promo/intro post)	Real-time engagement, brand voice, news & updates, customer service
TikTok	1. Create business account 2. Add bio, profile image, website link 3. Switch to Pro account for analytics 4. Create 3–5 launch videos	Viral content potential, brand personality, younger audience reach
YouTube	1. Create Brand Account under Google 2. Add channel art, profile image, description, links 3. Upload intro video & playlist structure	Video marketing, search engine traffic, tutorials & product demos
Pinterest	1. Create Business Account 2. Verify website 3. Add logo, description, and boards 4. Start pinning visually appealing content	Evergreen content, referral traffic, visual discovery for products/services
Yelp / TripAdvisor (if relevant)	1. Claim business on respective site 2. Add profile image, hours, website, contact info 3. Respond to reviews	Reputation management, local search visibility, customer trust
Nextdoor	1. Claim your local business page 2. Add profile, contact info, services, specials	Local community engagement, recommendations, hyperlocal marketing
Other niche platforms (depending on industry)	Examples: Etsy, Houzz, Dribbble, GitHub, Behance	Reaches targeted audience, enhances credibility in niche markets

3. Optimization Best Practices

• Use consistent branding across all platforms.

• Add keywords in descriptions and bios for SEO.

• Include CTAs (Call to Action) like “Visit our website” or “Book now.”

• Add location info for local discovery.

• Ensure all links work and trackable with UTM parameters for analytics.

• Set up Google Analytics / Tag Manager for website traffic tracking from social media.

• Encourage reviews & testimonials where applicable.

4. Launch Checklist

• ✅ Post an introductory message/video on all platforms.

• ✅ Invite your contacts/friends/customers to follow.

• ✅ Start an engagement routine: reply to comments/messages daily.

• ✅ Use analytics tools (native & third-party) to track early performance.

• ✅ Create a content calendar for consistent posting.

5. Optional Tools to Make It Easier

• Buffer / Hootsuite / Later → schedule posts across platforms.

• Canva / Adobe Express → create visuals.

• Linktree / Beacons → central link for multiple platforms.

• Google Alerts / Mention → monitor mentions online.

You got this!! 🎉