The lines between social media and SEO continue to blur more and more each day, and there is only one reason; social media is important for SEO! Why is social media so important for SEO? Simply put, social media is content and content is important to a well-executed SEO strategy.
So, big deal; we already knew that content was important for SEO. But, what we know and what we practice are often two very different things. Every social media post you schedule has the ability to reach your brand’s target audience, and it’s your responsibility to schedule engaging content. Engaging content could be things such as personal insights and stories, useful videos and tips; resources that help your customers solve their day-to-day problems. Just keep in mind the key is to add value. If you aren’t adding value, then why are you posting?
You can earn customers via social media without spending a ton of money.” –Jennifer Lopez, Director of Community at SEOmoz
As you continue to add value to people’s lives, you will slowly (and sometimes, if you’re lucky, rapidly) see your social audience grow. As your social audience grows, so does your influence, and in turn your authority. There is something funny about authority, when we are young we want nothing to do with it, but once we are older it’s all we want….well that is if you are searching for Google’s authority! The amount of engaging content you produce on your social networking sites result in Google passing a certain amount of “authority” to your brand, as it views you as an authority in your specific area due to the amount of people commenting, liking, sharing, re-tweeting, etc.
The important thing to remember is that Google is looking for social validation.
The SEO industry has developed a bad reputation with people buying thousands of links and following the worst of the worst black-hat SEO practices just to get a step ahead of the curve, but remember cheaters only win for a short while. Spend the time building quality content, and you won’t have to worry when the next Google Penguin update hits.
I’m no fortuneteller, but the signs are as plain as day. Social media will continue to become more and more closely linked with SEO. Make sure to spend the time developing your content, and remember to always ask yourself if you are adding value.