Yes, Social Media Matters for SEO Link Building
If someone told you that social media doesn’t matter for SEO link building purposes, they’re wrong. While it’s true that links shared in social media are nofollowed and aren’t directly growing your SEO link portfolio or influencing the search engine algorithms, an active social media presence can grow your link profile in other ways. Social media is an important outlet for growing your brand and making connections. And what sites do you think generate natural inbound links that DO impact SEO ranking? You got it, the sites that have a trusted brand and lots of connections. Social media absolutely matters for SEO link building as long as you’re doing the following:
Dedicating time to it
Social media requires a strategy just like any other marketing activity. If you only use social media sparingly it’s not going to have much of an impact on your SEO program.
Using the right platforms
There are lots of social networks to choose from and it seems like new networks are popping up all the time. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to be active on every single social network. The key is to determine where your target audience is spending the most time and focus your efforts there. Not sure? Check out this awesome guide that Hootsuite put together.
Developing a strong brand
All of your social profiles should have a similar look and feel that match your company website. If each profile is disjointed from the next it can cause brand confusion.
Sharing the right content
Not every social network is the same which means that your content strategy should be slightly different for each. For example, Twitter has a 140 character limit so your Twitter posts may need to be shorter than what you post on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Being sociable
Too many companies leave the “social” part out of social media. They use it as a billboard more than a place to have a two-way conversation. Social media is only going to help your SEO link building campaign if you make connections with other human beings who own websites and might consider linking to yours. Connect with industry influencers and respond to comments and inquiries in a timely manner.
Measuring results
You need to make sure that you’re making the most of your social media investment. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of social networks and spend time spinning your wheels. Instead, measure success and set goals. What content is driving the most traffic and engagement? What times are working best? Which platforms have the best return? Continually update your social media strategy based on what’s working and what’s not.
Social media activity can positively impact your SEO link building campaign, as long as you’re using the social networks correctly. If you’re only signing in every once in a while, then the people who are telling you that social media doesn’t influence SEO are right.
Categorized in: SEO
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