In 2017, social media is being used by everyone.

From Fortune 500 companies, a locally owned donut shop, your 13-year-old next door neighbor, and your Aunt Trudy are most likely active on some form of social media.

Senior citizens were the fastest growing demographic on social media this year, closing the age gap on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Now nearly 81% of Americans are active on social platforms. If you're doing social incorrectly, you're missing out on thousands of viewers and potential clients every year.

In this instructional book, we are going to be taking a look at our own social media presence for a personal brand or business. Taking the time to analyze your current status and build up your presence online is the best way to reach new audiences.

Follow along with this social media guide to find your best strategy for your goals

A Great Place to Start: Looking at Similar Brands

Start by finding a person or brand with the same goals as your own. Ask "What are they doing right?"

Do they have a cohesive profile? Do they have interactive Facebook statuses?

Also ask "What are they doing wrong?"

Maybe they don't respond to customer complaints or take too long to reply to questions.

You don't need to model yourself exactly after your competitors, but looking to their profiles for guidance may give you a good idea of what works and what doesn't.

Example: Rocky's Antiques has great interaction with Facebook followers. However, some reviews ask for better customer service and don't get a response. Learn from the good and the bad to model your own pages.

Start With a Goal in Mind

Your goals should follow the SMART technique

Write down what you want to accomplish through social media for your brand. Check back on your goal every few weeks. Are your goals SMART?

Keep a Calendar: Posting Schedule & Special Events

Organize your posting schedule to keep yourself on track. Use apps like Hootsuite and Buffer to queue posts for the future.

Finding significant holidays for special posts is important too!

Ex: If you're running an Instagram account for a homemade candy brand, tailor a special post for Valentine's Day when candy sales are high.

Use hashtags to find user-generated content for your account!