The terms “social media optimization” and “search engine optimization” are occasionally used interchangeably, implying that the two services have a lot in common. In truth, each successful social media campaign requires planning and implementing a media strategy that provides maximum reach and visibility.
In that sense, optimizing a social media campaign shouldn’t involve any additional intentional work; it’s either effective or it isn’t.
SEO and social media
Since the rise of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the influence of a strong social media presence on a website’s rankings has been hypothesized, disputed, and tested in the SEO field. While Google does not reveal the specific influence that social indicators have on page results, we do know that a strong social presence and excellent search rankings tend to go hand in hand.
This makes sense, given that the same elements that draw social interaction also tend to attract high-quality backlinks (which we know have a beneficial influence on rankings). So, should you undertake a social media strategy to improve the ranks of your website? Surprisingly, the answer is not always yes for all businesses.
This is covered in this evergreen blog article. However, if you’re currently running a good digital marketing campaign and your agency is providing high-quality content for your website, it can make sense to combine the two to guarantee your material gets seen by as many people as possible. We recommend speaking with your SEO consultant to explore how social media may be used to boost your website’s search ranking.
How to optimize social media for your business
You need a social media optimization strategy and then execute it in order to optimize your social media channels. Following these five steps will put you on your way to a social presence that’s search-optimized.
1. Identify your audience
Your audience should use the platforms that you focus on most often, as mentioned previously. Your goal in this step is to find out which social media channels your audience uses and where they want to see you.
2. Conduct a competitive analysis
Performing a competitive analysis is the next step. You want to find out how your company compares to your competitors. Do you see more engagement on social media compared to them? Are your competitors or other industry leaders using social media content in a way that is effective?
3. Create a plan based on the findings
Once you have a clear understanding of your audience and the competition, you can then develop a clear and concise marketing strategy. Social media optimization begins with a strategy, but in a MIT Sloan Management Review business survey, 28% of businesses said they lack a strategy as one of the top barriers to becoming social businesses.
4. Execute the strategy
Execution is the key to a successful strategy. Teamwork is vital to executing a strategy, and a SEO leader and content marketer must work closely alongside a social media manager and community manager to maximize the results. Due to the close correlation between social media optimization and SEO, these teams need to come together towards the same goals and communicate the same message across all channels.
5. Evaluate results and make necessary adjustments
Analyzing the results of implementing the strategy and making adjustments should follow. Determine when you will check in on results in your initial strategy. Thus, you won’t need to guess when it’s time to weigh in.
