What was once a way to post embarrassing photos from parties with friends has evolved into a fundamental aspect of the way our society functions, and ultimately, thrives. Social media — and the internet as a whole — have made it possible to learn, grow, sell and connect like never before.

This is never as pertinent as when it comes to running a business. Especially if you are in a creative field or are self-employed, your social media presence is going to be a fundamental part of making sure you’re reaching your clientele, establishing your name, and ensuring that others can not only find you, but also understand what you can do for them.

Here are the most important ways to ensure you’re making the most of your social media platforms:

1. Be consistent.

Whatever you’re posting, consistency is key. Use the same editing apps, post at the same times each day, and make sure your content is always aligned with your overall mission. There are many scheduling platforms out there that will allow your social media feeds to run on auto-post so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it multiple times a day.

2. Make sure your copy is crystal clear.

Whether it’s the information in your bio, or the first words people see on your website, make sure that you can boil down what you do into a single sentence. This is crucial because this is how long you’ll be able to keep people’s attention. You only have a few seconds to hook them before they’ll keep scrolling by.

3. Make it easy to contact you.

If you aren’t comfortable having your email address made public, make sure there’s an easily accessible contact page on your website. Never make it a challenge for your clients to reach you, or book you.

4. Treat your personal website as your résumé.

Aside from the obvious — which is that you don’t want to post private details about your life, where you went to school, or where you live on a public platform — remember that your personal website is going to be seen by far more eyes than your résumé will ever be, and this will be the medium through which people come to understand what you do. It’s important that it reflects who you are and what your business is.

5. Get educated on SEO.

Search engine optimization refers to the order in which your site or product will come up when people type certain key words into Google or similar sites. If you sell paper plates, you want to be sure your website is optimized — it contains terms and elements that put it high in the rankings — so that potential buyers see it first.

6. Use hashtags and geotags.

Another way to connect with those who could be interested in what you do is to make sure you are using hashtags and geotags. People can follow them on multiple platforms, as well as look at their own local tags if they’re trying to hire someone who is near them (perhaps for photography, or something similar).

7. Connect with your community.

Engage with those who support you (respond to comments!) block those who are trolling (it’s a bad look) and make sure you reply to everything, including negative reviews, with a helpful and positive tone. The way you speak and communicate with others creates the image of your brand, and plays a big role in whether or not people will want to work with you.

8. Keep content and photos high quality.

Above all else, remember that quality is key. Blurry, dark photos, confusing or unclear words and anything else that isn’t immediately understandable is only holding you back.