Do you have clients that need a social media audit?  Maybe it’s a new client and you need to start with a list of improvements that they can make.  Or maybe this is a special service you offer with the opportunity to have you do the work for your client.

In this article, I’ll share with you how I go about social media audits and my process.  Even if you aren’t doing this for clients, take a look through the article to see where you might improve!

1. Determine the level of the audit

You can go to a variety of depths with an audit from a quick overview down to a much bigger audit that also involves future strategy.

“Lite” informal audit

This might be part of a consulting session where you go through their sites one by one and point out things that need to change.  At then end, they have a list of action steps that they need to complete to improve their social sites .  In this case it could be part of your hourly rate.

Text-Based Formal Report

A more formal report can have different levels, too.  Maybe it’s some bullet points with screenshots on what needs to change and how to change it.  Or it could be a deeper dive where you go into the strategy of how to get more leads with social media compared to what they are doing now.

Video Tour

A recorded video tour can be helpful so they don’t have to take notes while you give pointers.  You can use tools like Snagit or Camtasia for pre-recording.  Or use tools like Skype, Google+ Hangouts or Join.me to do screensharing, recorded audits.

2.  General outline of the audit

When you are looking at someone’s social media sites, you are typically looking at 3 main things:

1. Profile Images and Bios.  Are they clear, compelling, and good for the social site?
2. What you post.  Is the client posting at the right frequency, with interesting content?
3. How you post.  Is the client posting with the right formatting – do the posts look good?  Are they using tools that are appropriate for that social site, i.e. hashtags?

Then you want to look at more specific things:

1. Do they have a way to measure their progress such as Google Analytics in place?
2. Are they using some form of lead capture?
3. Do they have goals in place for what they want out of social media?
4. What are their competitors doing on social media?  What’s working for them?
5. What types of content are they producing that will help their social media strategy?  Where can they improve?

 3.  Specific Platforms

I usually use my social media checklists to help give structure to the audit and I will give links to each checklist but also provide highlights to watch for on each platform.

Facebook

• Do they have a good cover photo? (not too busy, nice design, well-branded)
• Do they have a complete About Section with website listed?
• Are they posting 1x per day at minimum?
• Are they posting helpful content?
  • Ninja tip – add some funny content
• Do they have Spam or unanswered posts?
• Variety of content – images, links, videos, promotional content

Facebook Checklist

Twitter

• Is their website listed in their profile?
• Are they tweeting 5x per day minimum? (including retweeting and tweeting others)
• Are they tweeting helpful content?
• Are they using Hashtags
• Are they talking to others?
• Do they have Twitter Lists?

Twitter Checklist

LinkedIn

• Do they have a good Professional headline?
• Do they have a robust Summary section with keywords and media?
• Are they posting 1x/week or more?
  • you’ll have to ask
• Are they regularly adding connections?
• Have they joined groups
• Do they have Skills & Recommendations?

LinkedIn Checklist

Pinterest

• Do they have a Business account with verified website?
• Do they have at least 5 boards with 5 Pins?
• Are they using good keywords in Board titles?
• Are they regularly pinning?
• Are they using Hashtags?

Pinterest Checklist

YouTube

• Do they have a nice cover photo?
• Is their website listed?
• Do they have a Video trailer?
• Are they posting regularly?
• Are they using Keywords in their profile and their videos?
• Do they have Playlists?
• Have they connected their other social accounts in their bio?

YouTube Checklist

Google+

• Is their Personal section complete?
• Are they regularly Circling and being circled?
• Are they posting regularly?
• Are they posting helpful content?
• Have they joined Communities?
• Are they talking to others?

Google+ Checklist

 4. Pricing Your Audits

This can be challenging depending on the depth.  If you are doing a quick overview in person then that will be the cost of the consulting session.  But for written work, you will need to make sure you allow enough time to do the evaluation and write up the results.  You might try doing an sample of one of their sites as a way to gauge what to quote.  As you do more of these, you will then get a better feel for how long they take.  You can also see my post on how to price your social media services to get some ideas on pricing.

How about you, have you done social audits for clients or for yourself?  What did you find?  Share your comments in the thoughts with us below.