As Google continues releasing algorithm updates and the importance of content is ever-increasing, search engine optimization has evolved as well. The days of simply repeating a keyword in the content as often as possible are long gone. Instead, keyword placement and user value have taken the spotlight.

Moreover, there are other factors to take into account when it comes to SEO strategies. Optimizing content for search engines does not only mean working on it alone. This is where social media enters the picture.

While your performance on social media does not have a direct impact on search rankings, there are essential connections that you must take note of to succeed in your digital marketing efforts.

1. Social Signals Indirectly Affect Your Search Rank

As mentioned above, there is no direct link between your social media performance and search rankings. Google itself has claimed that these signals are not a ranking factor.

However, there is an undeniable correlation between the two.

First, if the link to your content performs well on social media, it can help generate more page views and backlinks and increase your brand authority. A positive change in these metrics helps your website to get noticed by Google.

Second, you have to know that Google also crawls social websites for information similar to how it does with other sites. This means that if a link shared on your social media platforms is performing well and crawled by Google, it could also serve as a credible back-link for you. Consequently, high-quality backlinks are always looked favorably upon by search engines.

2. Your Social Media Profiles or Pages Appear in Search Results, Too

Profiles and pages on social media channels are crawlable by Google too. Moreover, they’re often right at the top results in listings, especially for brand name searches.

Why is this significant? This means that if you have a well-performing platform, you increase the chances of getting seen in SERPs. You also give people other options to know more about your business and reach you aside from your website. Who knows, you may even attract those consumers who prefer looking at a company’s Facebook or Twitter pages than their websites!

3. Social Media is Used for Search, Too

While Google and Bing are the names that usually come to mind when you hear the word, “search,” they’re not the only platforms for this task. People also use social media to find what they’re looking for, whether it’s a long-time friend or a professional service provider in the area.

That said, SEO today not only includes the searches that happen on search engines but also on your social media sites. You have to pay attention to how you’re performing on these so-called social media search engines.

Winning on social media is a lot like winning on search engines. The content you share plays a big part in it, along with the hashtags and categories you use to make sure that they are seen in all the right places.

Conclusion

While there is no direct relationship between social media and SEO, you should see the two as linked. With the right execution, your social performance can give your website a much-needed push in terms of visits, page views, and backlinks to rank higher in search results. Thinking out-of-the-box ways to boost your website using social media may just be what you need to increase your visibility and reach more people.

Struggling with your social media marketing communication efforts? We’ve got you covered! We’re a results-driven digital marketing agency helping companies of all sizes build their brands and manage their social media reputation. If this is something you need help with, get in touch with us today!