Just hit MVP. Yay!

Now that I'm there, a couple upgrade questions for everyone. I'm sure some of these have been answered, but this thread is gigantic and I didn't want to parse through all of it.

-What are the steps I need to take while buying a ticket to ensure a chance at an upgrade?

-What steps do I need to take once it hits 48 hours beforehand so I can try and grab a first class seat?

-For Delta flights specifically, what do I need to do to be placed on their upgrade list? Will it automatically happen?

-Can I get an upgrade on flights that have already been purchased on Alaska/Delta pre-MVP status? If so, how?

Thanks!