Social networking is an essential element in any successful online marketing campaign. When used in conjunction with traditional SEO methods implemented using SEO software, social networks provide an important avenue to get your brand in front of a wide audience easily and efficiently.
While not a ranking factor in its own right, social media can boost other ranking signals that build SEO and get pages recognized. Consider these 4 important effects that social media has on SEO and how it can improve SEO marketing efforts.
1. Increase Online Exposure and Website Traffic
With so many people using social media, social networks can give your brand the chance to be seen by more people than it would otherwise when just applying standard optimization methods for search.
It is easier to target specific audiences, then reach even wider than initial audiences through shares.
Greater visibility generates more website traffic, which boosts SEO and pagerank. Popular social media pages and content with enough authority may also show up in the SERPs, giving your brand yet one more chance to be found.
Increased visibility to broader audiences statistically produces higher conversion rates.
2. Builds Brand Recognition and Authority
Brand recognition is a viewer’s ability to recognize a business by its name, logo, or some other identifying factor. Through the increased visibility that comes from social networking, a brand becomes more recognizable.
Frequent posting increases brand awareness by keeping your brand in front of viewers on a regular basis.
Views and shares that result in more clicks and website traffic build page authority as seen by the search algorithm.
Interaction and engagement on social media posts build authority on these sites, circulating them to even more people and generating even more traffic. Authority is a signaling factor that can improve pagerank.
3. Allows Broader Distribution of Content
Social media will allow your brand to get more efficient use of the content you create and distribute. Re-posting older content is easy when using SEO software and builds pagerank in a number of ways.
It broadens the audience who is viewing recirculated content and increases shares, page value, and website visits, all of which serve to boost SEO.
4. Generates Better Local SEO
If you are a company conducting business on a local level, social networks can improve local SEO through increased visibility to local audiences. When used in conjunction with business directory listings, social media that is standardized with the same Name-Address-Phone Number or NAP as all other company websites and directory listings provides another way for searchers to find your company.
Local SEO is boosted when your brand’s online presence includes business directories, especially if the pages link to social media pages that are already getting good attention.
in Sum
It is safe to say that increased exposure resulting from active social networking has a trickle-down effect on SEO.
Broader visibility builds recognition and authority, helps boost the value of content distributed using SEO software, and can make your company more visible locally.
Based on the effect social networks have on SEO efforts, be sure to use social media for all your online marketing campaigns to increase website traffic and improve conversion rates!
