Your online presence is one of the most important ways to market your business to the world. It honestly doesn't matter whether you have a strictly online business or a bricks and mortar business, using social media is a great way to get the word out about your business and to establish your identity online.

Ensure that Your Brand Matches Throughout

While each social media network has its own personally, your brand is always your brand. You should keep your brand the same, but adjust it slightly to fit in with the personality of the platform. But don't change it too much because you want your audience to recognize you and interact with you.

Keep Your Profile Updated and Complete

Social media networks are always changing so a complete profile today will be incomplete tomorrow. Keep it up-to-date by checking it often, updating the things you have changed, and adding in information as the platform creates new ways for you to share.

Be Consistent with Your Posts

One of the keys to making social media work for you to build your online presence, is putting up regular posts and updates. For example, if you have a blog post you want to share, set it up to share twice in the day instead of only once.

Become an Expert on One or Two Platforms

You can't be everyplace and do it well, so choose one or two platforms where your audience likes to hang out, and become an expert at those systems. You'll do yourself a huge favor. Take it easy and become an expert of one or two.

Develop Content Specific for Each Platform

You don't want to rehash the exact same content in the exact same words on each social media network. For example, when you share a blog post you wrote promoting your widget, you want to share it with a special blurb for each different network.

Engage with Others

Don't forget to talk to people on each network. Answer questions, share your knowledge, and interact and engage with them. Social media is supposed to be social. Automation is fine, but you do need to answer people and talk to people in real time, too.

Share Other People's Updates

When someone shares something important that your audience will find interesting, share it. The people you share and congratulate and interact with will do the same for you. Plus, it's another form of content that can help establish expertise.

Join Groups

Most social media networks right now have some forms of groups that you can join. Even Pinterest has group pin boards that you can join. Joining these, then interacting with the people, is a great way to network and get known better.

There has been a shift in how we use social media. If you want to remain relevant and not get left behind, it's essential that you keep up with the trends of the times and adapt accordingly.