How Social Media impacts SEO

Does social media affect a website’s search rankings?

The answer is, yes, it does. Even though social media doesn’t have a direct impact on the website’s ranking, it tends to affect rankings indirectly through generating traffic on the website.

Search engine optimization is the process of growing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine.

Here are 5 ways that social media impacts your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and how it can be a crucial tool in the conversion journey of a customer:

• Drives Website Traffic: A major ranking factor for websites is traffic. Where does social media come in? Social Media works not just as a tool to divert your current customers to your website through links used in posts, but also as a powerful word-of-mouth marketing tool. When done right, posts get likes and shares and you can reach potential customers who then proceed to your website. This ends up boosting your rankings.

• Profiles Rank in Search Engine Results: The first place customers go to find more information about your brand is a Search engine. These search engines rank social media profiles and these appear in branded search results which are often on the first page! There is also a link available here that customers can click to learn more about a business. A well maintained social media presence will bring about valuable conversion when the customer is ready!

• Improves Your Content Reach: Social Media is an excellent tool to reach people who weren’t even looking for your content, but once they see it, they realise a need for it. This is a powerful touchpoint in a customer journey. Better content reach and relevant content imply that high-quality traffic reaches your website and improves your website rankings. The viral effect is real!

• Social Media Platforms are Search Engines: People’s searches aren’t merely limited to search engines anymore. Social Media platforms now serve as valuable search engines with their solid search functionalities. So much so as some people might discover your business merely through searching on social media.

• Local SEO: Social media has an impact on local SEO efforts too. Local search rankings are affected by the name, address and phone number of your business. If this information is consistent across all platforms and listings, Google considers your business more credible. This ends up boosting your rankings in local search results. In addition to this, some social media platforms like Instagram let you geo-tag posts and stories. Another great way to gain visibility among your audience.

To sum it up, a strong, well maintained social media presence is a powerful tool to target your audience and customers through their purchasing journeys. It not only plays a vital role in your SEO strategy, but it also acts as a strong word-of-mouth marketing tool, which can be priceless in reaching new customers!

Would you like to chat to one of our team to get some advice on your social media presence and how you can impact it?

Please email us at community@sociolocal.ie