When it comes to search engine optimization, Google is the King of Visibility. For many companies, SEO campaigns are not acknowledged as successful unless Google agrees. This means a web page or blog should appear within the first few pages of results for a relevant query. Your search engine ranking is important.
However, you shouldn’t think of Google as the endgame for your online marketing approach. Here’s why marketing campaigns should make use of social media instead of focusing solely on Google search engine results.
The Social Media Opportunity
You wouldn’t wear the same shirt every day for the rest of your life. So why limit yourself to one SEO approach? Many businesses find greater visibility and success by taking their best SEO tactics to social media platforms.
You may be thinking “Hold on, now. Google says social media does not impact SEO ranking.” Yes, it’s true that your social media posts may not directly affect your ranking in search engine results. However, they do have an indirect impact. According to the Search Engine Journal, the correlation between ranking position and social signals is high. Here are a few ways social media can indirectly help your SEO efforts:
1. Get Content Indexed Faster
There is a mind-blowing amount of content on the web. Google helps users find what they’re looking for by organizing existing content into a search index. It does this by sending out web crawlers to gather info and analyze web page links. Specialized computer programs index the information so users can find it. The faster your content gets indexed, the quicker it can appear in front of your intended audience. Tweeting may cut indexing time by up to 50%. It may also significantly reduce the time it takes Google’s bots to find your content.
2. Increase Potential for Links
Social media marketing makes it much easier to capture external links. Many marketers believe website links contained in social media accounts impact rankings. When you promote and share your website, you increase the odds of other websites linking back to it. External links are essential for achieving high Google rankings. Therefore, you want as many of them as possible. Combine SEO strategies with regular Twitter, Facebook and Instagram posts. This can increase your potential for earning more links.
3. Boost Brand Awareness
There are currently more than 2.38 billion Facebook users and approximately 261 million Twitter users in the world. These impressive numbers show how impactful social media can be for building brand awareness. Remember, you’re trying to engage with an audience already bombarded with advertisements. To stand out, start discussions or ask questions that encourage participation. If you consistently come up with appealing posts, you’ll inevitably boost brand awareness.
4. Improve Visibility
Visibility is everything when it comes to achieving a higher search engine ranking. Did you know search engines rank social platform profiles? By using SEO tactics to improve your social profiles, you’ll eventually improve your visibility and ranking. Once you build a strong social presence, you’ll have an easier time outperforming your competition online.
5. Drive Traffic to Your Website
Each time you post quality content to Facebook or other social platforms, you drive traffic back to your website. Just make sure you include keywords and links that take readers to relevant pages on your website. LinkedIn is a great option for sharing linked content that attracts traffic. The platform makes it easy to directly post long-form content.
How To Optimize Social Media for SEO
Now you know how social platforms can help your SEO strategy. Here’s how to use your newfound knowledge to optimize your online presence:
- Optimize your content for sharing
- Post regular updates
- Engage your audience
- Optimize your social profiles
Optimizing your website content is a great way to encourage social sharing of that content. Include specific keywords, great copy, relevant links and compelling calls-to-action on each page. Adding images and social sharing buttons also makes your content more share-friendly for various online platforms.
Posting regular updates is key to staying relevant in an ever-changing online world. The frequency of your posts should vary based on platform. For example, it’s normal for companies to post multiple daily updates to Twitter. However, one post per day is the norm for sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.
In addition to posting frequently, it’s also important to share engaging content that is helpful to your target audience. You can do this by creating masterful, viral-status headlines and using attractive images. You can also tactfully ask readers to share your helpful messages with others who could benefit from them.
Finally, optimize your profiles. Make sure your bio uses SEO tactics and is interesting to your audience. Direct further traffic to your page by including a relevant link in your profile bio.
Take the Next Step
And while you work on that, we can help you with your SEO strategy! Boostability is the leading provider of white label SEO services that are designed to achieve growth and results for your clients. presence. We work behind the scenes helping your agency with strategy creation and fulfillment, learning how to sell SEO, and so much more. Learn more about our white label SEO partner program and get connected with one of our digital marketing experts to see if this is a right fit for your business!
If you’re not ready to make that commitment just yet, use our free SEO analysis tool to see where you’re at with your SEO performance and what improvements you can make yourself!
