Here in the United States, nearly two-thirds of us use social media regularly—be it Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter, or Google+.
The numbers just go up when you tally usage among younger Americans. Around 90% are on at least one social network, and they aren’t alone. The number of users over the age 65 continues to grow at a fast pace, too.
The fundamental purpose of all these platforms is same: sharing and viewing content. The most significant differentiator? What that content is.
The numbers just go up when you tally usage among younger Americans. Around 90% are on at least one social network, and they aren’t alone. The number of users over the age 65 continues to grow at a fast pace, too.
The fundamental purpose of all these platforms is same: sharing and viewing content. The most significant differentiator? What that content is.
This article is part of the Complete Guide to Improving your Search Engine Optimization.
You might be wondering why your company should care about social media if you already have a good website. The simple answer? It affects SEO, SEO affects whether or not if you’re not on the first page of Google results, and if you aren’t on that first page of results, you’re losing sales.
Did you know that 75% percent of internet users will not click through to the second page of search results?Although Google does not explicitly reveal how social media influences a website’s search engine ranking, many SEO experts believe that social media does factor into search engine rankings.
For example, if your company writes a blog post that is popular and shared widely on social media, Google notices and will rank that content highly. That’s why it makes sense to do whatever you can to leverage social media for SEO.
If you build it (and maintain it), they will come
In real estate, there’s a saying that all that matters is “location, location, location.” And, a variant—”followers, followers, followers”—works for social media when it comes SEO and ranking.The number of followers you have on your company’s social media channels can impact your rankings because the more followers you have, the more opportunities you have to get eyeballs on your website’s content.
But, not just any followers will do.
For increases in backlinks, website traffic, and time spent on site, you want real, organic followers. That’s because Google identifies whether or not most of your followers are bots and fake accounts. Gaining new followers is a slow process, but if you are persistent and strategic, you’ll see your number of likes and followers grow over time, along with your visibility. Here are some more tips:
Stay active
It’s not enough to just have a social media handle for your company. You need to be consistent in both tone and how often you post.And, don’t forget that if you plan to go on a vacation, that doesn’t mean your users will be away, too. Write up some evergreen content beforehand and use a tool to schedule them to post.
Focus on quality
When it comes to SEO, the more outside sources that link to your content, the more credible it will look to Google (and the more it will help you get a higher ranking).With social media, you can share links to redirect people to high-quality content shared on your website. But, “high-quality” is key. You shouldn’t use social media as a dumping ground for bad content because you’ll lose followers. Remember: if your content is good, people will share it and possibly follow you for more.
As web writer Mike Houdeshell says, “Social media’s like a bakery. You can lose credibility, goodwill, and fans by serving up stale and boring content.”
Respond to comments
If someone comments on your post, respond. If someone takes the time to leave a comment, you should engage with them to increase user interaction and encourage more comments.The more comments your post receives from different users, the more likely that your post will appear in other people’s newsfeeds, organically extending the reach of your original post and increasing its popularity.
Guide interaction
Have you ever noticed that most YouTube vloggers close out each of their videos with a request to “like their video” and “hit the subscribe button”? The reason for this tactic is simple: One of the easiest ways to get people to like and subscribe to your content is to tell them.When you post your content on social media, if it’s appropriate, encourage your users to “like,” “follow,” “share,” or “subscribe” to your content.
Meet your audience where they are
With so many social media platforms available, it can be tough to figure out which ones to use to share your content. Trying to leverage all of them is not the best use of your time. Different channels work best with different types of content. Where are your customers? What kind of posts would appeal to them?For instance, our client Kermans Flooring found a natural fit on social media by engaging with customers on Houzz, a social media platform where people remodeling their homes go for inspiration, tips, and advice.
While developing a social media marketing plan, identify which platform is the best fit for your content and which channels your customers are using.
In a world that’s more connected than ever and in which information flows fast, it’s crucial to find ways to use social media and digital marketing to improve your SEO and build awareness about your brand. Want to learn more? Take a look at some of these past related posts:
- Are you using video to enhance your buyer journey?
- Troubleshooting common post boosting issues on Facebook
- These measurable social media goals aren’t just “get more followers”
