In this digital world, we search for things online every day. Whether we’re looking for our next getaway or a new pair of trainers, we rely on the power of the World Wide Web to find exactly what we want.
Google has monopolised the search game for a long time, so much so that the brand name has become an interchangeable verb for the word ‘search’ – and if you’re not sure about that, Google it. But we’re seeing a shift.
As social media platforms continue to innovate, younger generations are relying on their social apps for new info. According to Google’s Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, “almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.”
So, we’re going to delve into how we can leverage the rise of social search by optimising your social media profiles for success. Enter: Social SEO.
Need support with your digital strategy? Get in touch: info@starbots-creative.co.uk
What is social SEO?
Social SEO stems from the more traditional SEO practice that you might already use for your website. If you’re not familiar with the term, it stands for search engine optimisation and is a tool you can utilise to improve your Google search ranking.
Google rewards website content that is optimised with keywords and phrases, by ranking it higher in search results and getting it in front of potential customers.
But like we mentioned earlier, we’re seeing a shift from the more traditional search engines like Google, to a new generation heading to social media. And that’s where social SEO comes in. A new arrival to the digital marketing world – it’s already made its mark.
An integration of social media and SEO tactics, social SEO is a way for businesses to leverage the power of social media to improve their online visibility and attract more potential customers.
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Why do I need social SEO?
Algorithm has been the buzzword of the century. But you shouldn’t solely rely on this to reach potential new followers and customers, which is where you’ll benefit from implementing social SEO. You want to be ranking high in the search results on at least one of your businesses’ preferred methods of social media. Whether that be Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, there are different tactics you can deploy to increase your social SEO.
Once you do this, you’re on the right path to growing your social channels and getting your content seen by the right audiences i.e., those who are looking for the type of product or service that you offer. And you can start right now by doing some social admin.
So, how can I do it?
If you use SEO for your website, you might be familiar with a lot of the terms we use for social SEO. Here are a few ways to implement social SEO in your strategy today:
- Optimise your social media profiles. Add your brand keywords to your name, handle and bio. For example, our bio includes our keywords: ‘Branding’, ‘Digital’, ‘Content’ and ‘Design’.
- Use subtitles. If you’re using Instagram, make use of the auto-generated captions. Video subtitles are great for accessibility online, allowing the maximum number of people to understand your video and boost your engagement, whilst providing the best user experience possible.
- Keep hashtags in the caption. There was a day when it wasn’t cool to put your hashtags in the caption, but now the caption is essential for your social SEO. Stay away from the comments and add relevant hashtags to your caption instead.
- Tag your location. Every time you post on your social channels, make sure to tag your location. That could be the name of your building, the city you work in or the location of the clients you’re visiting.
- Add alt-text. Help the social platforms understand your content better by describing what’s in your images.
Take a look at this list of social SEO tips for every network.
By getting into the habit of optimising your social channels and posts, you’ll reap the benefits of social SEO. Want a digital team on-hand to help with your SEO strategy? Get in touch with us on 01782 618324 or at info@starbots-creative.co.uk.
