Search engine optimization (SEO) remains both an art form and a guessing game. Search engine algorithms are constantly being tweaked and adapted to deliver the most relevant, reliable results possible. This can make it tough for business owners who are looking to reach page one for their targeted keywords. The integration of social media into search algorithms and results is the latest major shift in SEO—but how much impact does social media really have on your SEO?
If you’re a small business owner, rejoice! Your social media efforts can have a significant—and rapid—impact on your company’s website. By combining on-page optimization techniques with a consistent, thoughtful social media campaign, you’ll soon see the results you’re looking for. You’ll want to maximize your opportunity to claim as much online real estate as possible:
- Stay active on Facebook and Twitter. These sites now come up in search results on all the major search engines, so your company Facebook and Twitter pages could come up right below your company website—taking up two more spots that might have gone to competitors. You can do the same with YouTube, Google+, and other social sites that make sense for your industry.
- Build your blog content around your keywords. Your blog is a great place to add optimized articles, photos, and videos. Be sure to add the proper tags, meta tags, and other “back end” elements to get the most bang for your (content) buck. All these elements play together to give the search engines a more thorough and accurate view of your content.
- Create something that people want to pass on. Be sure that your content is also relevant to your target audience, so they’re more likely to share it with their own social networks. Though it’s not clear exactly how much impact they have, Facebook “Likes,” retweets, and Google +1’s definitely have impact on search results.
- Make your content easy to share. Ask your web developer to include social media buttons and plug-ins so that visitors can easily share anything they discover on their website. You can stick with Facebook and Twitter, or opt for a full suite that includes bookmarking sites like Digg and Reddit.
- Connect with your online audience. Those Twitter mentions, “Likes” and back-links to your blog all impact your SEO. Garner them, first by delivering engaging, interesting content on each platform. Next, be responsive and interact appropriately with those who follow you. Make your relationship mutually beneficial—just as you’d want any long-term business partnership to be.
Note that the common theme here is engagement: fostering, practicing, and promoting engagement however you can. As the online landscape changes, our SEO initiatives may shift. But our social media should always remain focused on that rule.
Fitness Marketing Agency
AutoPilot Fitness Marketing Solutions
Palm Harbor, Florida
800-345-6806
http://www.autopilotfms.com/
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