Your year-end social media cleanup and audit checklist

As we head into the last quarter of the year, it’s the perfect time to take stock of performance and plan for the year ahead. Chances are your social media programs have fallen into a rhythm of creating, posting, maybe even pulling metrics to make adjustments and then repeating. But without regular check-ups, even the best systems can become stale. A social media cleanup and audit is a powerful way to step out of that cycle to freshen up your brand’s digital presence and ensure your strategy remains effective in the ever-changing social landscape.

Cleanup vs audit

A social media cleanup focuses on decluttering and refreshing your brand’s social media presence, whereas an audit is about analyzing performance and strategy. Despite their differences, the two practices often go hand in hand. For example, during an audit, you might identify areas that need cleaning up (i.e., outdated posts or inactive accounts). Similarly, after a cleanup, you might want to review analytics to ensure your refreshed accounts are performing optimally.

Conducting a full social media cleanup and audit at least once a year is essential for staying relevant. It helps your team stay on top of digital clutter and keep pace with new tools, evolving trends and shifts in audience behaviors. This checklist will walk you through the steps to spruce accounts and evaluate what's working and what isn't—and where you can optimize your efforts for the new year. We’ll break it into two parts: cleanup and audit.

Part 1. How to perform a social media cleanup

Identify all brand accounts

The first step is to determine your organization’s existing digital footprint. Over time, companies can accumulate various profiles across different platforms, some of which may have been created for specific campaigns or by former employees and then forgotten. Perform an internet search for your organization’s name, as well as any past brand names, product names or slogans. This can help uncover old, dormant profiles. Check employee handbooks or marketing documentation for lists of official accounts.

Once the social media handles are identified, prioritize the active accounts that align with your current marketing goals and where your target audiences are most engaged. For dormant or off-brand accounts, it's best to delete them to prevent confusion and ensure brand consistency. To save content from old accounts for archival purposes, download the data before deleting the profile permanently.

Declutter feeds and connections

German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “Show me with whom you associate, and I’ll tell you who you are.” For better or worse, the accounts your brand follows and interacts with reflect on your organization. Unfollow accounts that no longer provide value to your brand or do not align with your organization’s values. Leave old social media groups and channels that are inactive or no longer relevant to your brand. This also helps ensure your feeds are filled with valuable content from industry partners, clients and relevant news sources.

Another good practice is to periodically review your follower list to remove spam or bot accounts. Blocking these accounts helps maintain the health and integrity of your online community. A smaller, more engaged audience is far more valuable than a large but inactive one.

Review and adjust content

Scour your timelines and remove any posts, photos or comments that are outdated or potentially controversial or offensive. This could include information about discontinued products, old campaign slogans or posts that might be perceived as tone-deaf in today's context. To hide older content without permanently deleting it, use the platform’s archiving feature (many social media platforms have one). This is a good way to declutter your brand’s timeline while preserving posts for your team. 

Don’t forget user-generated content! Untag your organization from any photos posted by others that are inappropriate, read like spam or misrepresent your entity. Facebook and other platforms allow users to adjust settings to review and approve any future tags, giving you greater control over your brand’s image.

Check privacy, security, access

Keeping your organization’s information safe is a critical part of any social media cleanup. Regularly check privacy settings across all platforms, especially after an app update. Most platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have a “Privacy Checkup” tool to walk users through the options. Use a password manager to ensure all accounts have strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for an added layer of security. Remove access for former employees and any third-party apps or websites you no longer use or don't trust.

Update profiles

Ensure bios and “About” sections are complete and up to date, including contact information and links that direct visitors to a relevant page on your website. Profile pictures and cover photos should be high-quality, on-brand and correctly sized for each platform. If you've been using the same templates and graphic styles all year, it's time for a refresh. Experiment with new visual formats, such as short-form videos or interactive graphics. A visual refresh can breathe new life into your profile and make your content feel current and exciting.

Part 2: How to perform a social media audit

Analyze audience demographics

Understanding your audience is the foundation of any successful social media strategy. Start by digging into your analytics to review the demographics and behaviors of your audience on each platform. Identify the ages, locations, interests and professional roles of your most engaged followers. This data will reveal if your target audiences have evolved—or whether you’re even reaching them. Use these fresh insights to refine your audience personas, which will help you create content that truly resonates in the coming year.

Evaluate content performance

Look at engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments, clicks) to identify top-performing posts and the types of content and formats (videos, images, carousels, etc.) that perform best. Determine which posts drove the most traffic, what times or days yielded the best engagement and how your different platforms performed against each other. To spot trends, look for patterns in timing, topics or hashtags that drive engagement.

Benchmark performance

Compare your metrics (followers, engagement rates, content quality) to competitors or industry benchmarks. Look for opportunities where others are excelling, such as formats or platforms you’re not leveraging. It’s also important to identify underperforming platforms, content types or strategies that aren’t delivering results. Consider new strategies, like influencer marketing.

Assess engagement and community management

Review interaction rates to see how often followers engage with your posts, and monitor sentiment to gauge audience perception of your brand. Ensure your team is responding promptly to comments, messages and mentions.

Set new goals

Based on your findings, define realistic and measurable objectives for the next quarter or year. Focus on high-impact areas first, such as improving engagement or optimizing underperforming platforms. Whether you aim to increase followers or drive more traffic to your website, having clear objectives and goals will guide your strategy and help you measure success.

Schedule recurring cleanups and audits

A social media cleanup isn't a one-time task; it's part of an ongoing process of digital brand management. Set a reminder to perform a quick social media review quarterly and a deep audit annually. Regular maintenance makes the process more manageable and prevents major issues from arising.

For additional tips on social media cleanups and audits, read AOE’s popular blog post, Spring cleaning for your social media strategy. If you are interested in a free social media audit, contact AOE today!