As of October 3rd 2013, there are over 500 million users on Facebook, and on average, people spend at least 700 billion minutes per month on the network. Facebook is just one of many social media networks that people use every day. Millions use multiple social media networks (Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest for example) to share, comment, and collect information and images fast and efficiently. Not only are social media networks a critical component to your online presence as a business owner, it can also boost your SEO ranking exponentially.
Because social media websites are quickly becoming the dominant method of online marketing, it can be a little intimidating for some small businesses owners. Below are a few easy tips to help incorporate social media marketing within your business:
1. Make your Social Media Profile Stand Out
The most important element when starting a social media account is your profile. The key to an SEO friendly social media profile is to add as much information about your business as possible. Include as much information as you can in the ‘About’ and ‘Information’ regions of any social media platform, and be sure to add your business’s address, city, state, and zip code. Always include direct links from your website. Make sure to use specific keywords that your target audience would use in search engines.
2. Social Media Content and Updates are Important
Keywords are important components when you create updates and new content for your social profile. Search engines and social media networks use keywords to place you in their SEO rankings, so choose keywords that directly link to your business or product. Always include your business’s name in your social media updates and posts. This helps search engines associate the keywords you use to define your business with your business’s name.
3. Link Building your Content
Link building is an important factor in SEO ranking because it means that your business has a good website to website relationship via links. When quality websites link your web page to different websites, and vice versa, it adds more credibility to your web page for Google. From there, Google will put your web page higher up on the SEO rankings. When you post engaging content on your webpage, people are more likely to ‘share’, ‘repin’, or ‘retweet’ your content which will improve your SEO value.
4. Become familiar with Pinterest
Pinterest is a content sharing website that gives members the ability to “pin” images, ideas, and other things to their page. On Pinterest you can:
- Boost link building
- Enhance your keyword targeting system
- Share your business’s content
- Use the ‘pin it’ button
- Establish a following creating more traffic to your website
5. Make a Google+ Account and create a Google+ Local Listing
Google is the number one search engine on the internet, with over 1 billion visitors every month. Take advantage of all of that incoming traffic by creating a Google+ account and create a Google+ local listing. 97 percent of consumers turn to online resources to search for local businesses so it is extremely beneficial that you become familiar with Google+ and create a local listing for your business.
Social media is the new strategy used for online marketing, and it is about being dynamic, engaged, and interactive within your marketplace–and to do it better than the competition. Increasing your SEO ranking takes time and does not happen overnight. Getting familiar with social media can increase traffic on your website and higher your SEO ranking.
If you have any questions about setting up social media profiles, we can help! Call our office today.
