Done right, your social media profiles can be positive PR: think of your social profiles as landing pages that act as a digital first impression. Here is a list of items that you should develop a template for that you’ll use when setting up or editing your social media accounts.

Usernames – What username should you be found under? Your name? Company? Product? Also, stick with one version of your actual name, as many sites feature a combination of your username and your real name in the profile.

Avatar - Your profile picture is your face to the world. Most companies will default to a logo, but if you’re building a personal brand or professional blog with a strong individual backing, upload your own avatar.

Links – Some sites only allow one link, so make it count – your corporate website, your blog or your Google Profile might be good choices. If multiple links are allowed, name them well, e.g. "My Brand on Twitter" and list the top level sites as well as any sites that pass page rank.

Bio – Concoct a short and long version: Twitter wants it short and sweet, but LinkedIn allows for a bio tome. Include your target keywords and strive for approachability with a measure of uniqueness.

Privacy settings – Adjust these settings according to your desired goals. If all-public-all-the-time is your aim, then adjust accordingly. If you have past jobs that you don’t want featured, omit those from your LinkedIn profile, for instance.