Are you wondering how social media can boost your website SEO?

Unlike what most people think, SEO and social media are linked and interdependent. Both are inbound and organic techniques that establish a credible identity and attracts visitors, naturally. Yet, most entrepreneurs don’t know how social media contributes to improving a website’s visibility.

Google and other search engines seldom acknowledge their use of social media in search rankings. Yet, social signals are too potent for any reputable brand to ignore.

Here are examples of how social media can boost your website SEO.

Claim and fill out social media profiles

Claiming and filling out social media profiles are two of the most basic and critical steps to boost your website visibility. Filling out your profile with relevant website links help enhance your site rankings. Include its name, type of business, address and relevant website links.

Also, enter as much information in the About section as possible. Such indexable content can indirectly impact your local rankings.

Many 3rd party review sites collect information from social media profiles for local businesses and compile the data into entries on their websites. Google utilizes these entries to compile its own formatting for local business listings. Completing your social media profile enhances the accuracy and visibility of your business online.

SEO and Review Sites

Claiming and optimizing your Google+ Local space can attract people to your website or business. Social apps and networks are invaluable for providing opportunities to post reviews. They also help attract targeted customers who never would have found you any other way.

Location, reviews, recommendations, likes, photos or videos help your audience hear your unique “voice”. These rich media elements are vital for search engine rankings and results and are examples of social media can boost your website SEO.

Growing your number of connections

Another way to use social media for boosting your website’s SEO is to grow your number of followers and connections; and, your social media profile connections influence your website ranking.

Google monitors the quality of social media followers. If you buy thousands of connections, your rankings will not improve. The best way to boost your ranking is by growing your following organically. While growing your followers will take time and effort, you will reap the benefits if you stay the course. To get there, put your brand in front of your audience often and uniquely.

Interacting and engaging with customers are two key components of establishing and retaining a sizable following. Use the same voice, provide helpful tips and post informational articles. Engage in meaningful discussions and follow up with your audience. By doing so, followers will come back for more and assist in establishing your authority for new and repeat followers.

Rich-Media Content and SEO

Search engines love rich media content such as pictures, videos, audio recordings, infographics etc. They can increase the value of your profile to Google over that of someone else who has the same name. Dynamic, interactive and emotion-catching content increases brand awareness, message association, and sharing.

Related: Simple Social Media Marketing Tips that Entrepreneurs Love 

Influencing social sharing

External links and social sharing contribute to a brand’s authority in the same way. To search engines, a reputable external source validating your content or brand is good for establishing authority.

If you can get five people to share your post, that is good. But if you can get 1,000 followers to share it, that’s better.

Nudge your audience to take action. Most of the time, all your followers need is a nudge to take action after interacting with your content. Words such as “follow” and “check out” get people to take action and engage.

Give the audience a reason to click through. People don’t like content that tries to get them to buy something; rather, they like it when someone offers them a solution. When the content provides solutions to pain points your audience will happily click through to your site.

Inbound links

Google considers two main factors when ranking results for search authority and relevance. Authority refers to how reputable or trustworthy the source is. Relevance is how much it meets the requirements of a given search.

Most of the time, authority is determined by the inbound link profile of the page. If you have many high authority links pointing to you, the higher you rank.

This principle is the single most important reason why social media is so critical to SEO. And, it has all to do with social media’s operation as a platform for syndication.

The links in your social platforms do not have a direct impact on your ranking. However, the reach they give your content is likely to result in more inbound links from sources that do make an impact.

External Links

External links are also important and play a role in creating simple social media marketing that entrepreneurs love.

When you publish a tweet or a Pin, for example, it’s shared by one or more users. It can also circulate within their audiences and escalate quickly.

Since they link back to your pages, traffic volume on your social network profile increases. As a result, your website could generate more engagement.

A well-planned social media strategy raises your organic search results. This boost generates a positive chain reaction that ends on your business website and increases its SEO.

Locally-optimized posts

Another way social media can boost your website SEO is by increasing your site’s local-specific authority. This can be accomplished by creating updates whenever you’re involved in local events and interacting with your local community. This sends local-specific authority indicators to search engines such as Google.

Conclusion

Including social media marketing in your SEO strategy helps boost your authority and relevancy. Benefits of social media boosting your website’s SEO are worth the effort.

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