When you think of SEO or Search Engine Optimization, you likely think of keywords, meta tags, and link building. You probably don’t factor how much social media can play in your overall SEO strategy. SEO is vital to promoting any website, as a high ranking website simply makes more money and gets more attention. Today, social media and SEO are woven tightly together. Like SEO, social media is a way to naturally attract the right visitors and create compelling content. Here are easy ways to boost your SEO using social media!
1. It’s about quality over quantity when it comes to followers.
While it’s true that an account with only 100 followers won’t receive much of a boost in SEO compared to an account with 100,000 followers, not all followers are treated equally. Attempting to cut corners by paying for fake followers or bots might seem like an easy way to boost your SEO, but it actually might hurt you.
Google is starting to crack down on fake followers, and the rise of algorithms like Fohr Card which analyzes the quality of your followers is becoming common practice. The best way to increase your followers is simply organically. Spend time creating great content for your audience and allow your following to grow with you.
2. Social media is a great way to build your links.
The more external links your website has, the better. This is why it’s important to promote your content regularly on social media. Not only can this get your website in front of new audiences, it can also gain you surprising attention. Google notices these links and high-quality content will stand out. To build your authority organically, use hashtags to get more visibility and participate in different threads and discussions around the social media community.
3. Optimize your blog posts and pages for social media.
Another way to encourage the spread of your content across social media is by creating social media ready content. Blog posts that include share links and shareable images are more likely to be picked up by popular social media accounts. There are a number of plugins which help you create social media friendly content automatically.
4. Use opt-in’s to encourage social media sharing.
Sometimes, you have to give something to get something. If you’re struggling to organically build your following and engagement, you might need to use an opt-in to get people excited about your content. Things like surveys, free downloads, and polls are all interactive pieces of content that perform well on social media. Giveaways also are an easy way to encourage social sharing. Perhaps offer a small prize for a selected winner who follows you and shares your content? It doesn’t have to be complex to create great results!
5. Engage with your local community.
One of the best parts of social media is how it makes it easy for you to engage with your local community. Tag local businesses, competitors, and locations to participate in discussions with the locals and the members of the community. If your account or website doesn’t belong to one specific location, find a way to engage with a community of people with like minded interests. For instance, if you blog about books, perhaps connect with a community of writers or authors. This will build your authority in your niche or community.
Boost SEO with social media
If you want to create a successful social media strategy, you can’t overlook the power of social media. If you want to have an effective social media plan, you should research what works in your particular niche. It might take some trial and error to discover what works best for you, but the best way to learn is by trying different things. No guide to mastering SEO would be complete without social media!