Before 2012 came to a close, Facebook reached one billion users and LinkedIn hit 200 million users. More and more, people are using social media, and its influence on the corporate arena is also becoming increasingly important. In fact, 83 percent of marketers say that social media is vital for their business.
Social media management can help in building, repairing, and maintaining your company’s online reputation – it should be a key part of your SEO strategy. Below are five simple ways to boost your company’s standing in search engine results pages:
1. Create a vanity URL. The social media URLs for your business’ Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus pages should be optimized for organic search. This makes it easy for consumers to find your pages online, and it creates consistency across all your social media assets.
2. The “About” section is important. Fill out the “About” sections in your different social media sites. Make sure that you accurately describe what your business is and what products you offer. You can use Google’s keyword tool to look for keywords you think your target audience will use when searching for your company or products online. Also include a link to your official website in order to create inbound links to your website, which helps boost its ranking in organic search.
3. Use geo-targeted keywords. Include geographic markers in your sites. These pertain to your company’s physical address, and the cities and neighborhoods you serve.
4. Create shareable content. On the internet, the most effective way to get noticed and rank on search engine results pages is by creating viral content. Post images, videos, events, and special offers you think your customers might like enough to share on their own pages.
5. Post fresh content regularly. Updating your sites with relevant content frequently will not only improve your search standing, but will also keep your customers engaged with your brand. But be careful about posting too often. Don’t flood your customers’ newsfeed with nonsense; they might un-follow your page.
The corporate world is turning to the web for advertising and profit. Learning the basics on how to utilize social media for SEO can help put your company’s name on the first page of Google, thus increasing your chances for new revenue streams.