Learn/Boost-SEO-with-Social-Media

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Marketers at small companies often ask us how they can push their websites higher in search results. They're not sure where to start - after all, their budgets don't allow them to exploit every search engine optimization (SEO) strategy for their sites, nor spend heavily on pay-per-click advertising.

Social Media: The Poor Man's SEO

That's where social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook come in. Search marketing professionals spent a lot of time in 2011 analyzing search-engine rankings and social media activity, and concluded that you really can get your website to rank higher engaging on the social Web.

In fact, Ian Lurie found that (include his finding he shared at SEMpdx)

Search engines are smart enough to notice not only the mentions of your company or product name in social media, but also who is mentioning you. Getting influential people to comment on your blog, your Facebook page and mentioning you on other blogs and in blog comments is a great way to tell search engines that you matter.

This may sound as time-consuming as emailing people and asking them to mention your website on their own site or blog. Actually, it's not. Because people on social media platforms have friends and followers of their own, getting mentioned or engaging in a conversation means you'll be seen by lots of other people. Your message and reputation has the potential to spread far and wide, whether for good or for bad.

Since the amplification factor is potentially so big, it's good to pay attention to social media etiquette and be a good citizen in this world. Watch how people behave, follow the people you admire, and learn from them.

Here are the practical details of what you can do to increase your presence in social media:

  • Twitter account
    • Post every day. You can comment on industry news, link to your blog, high-five someone else's comment, retweet someone's blog post, ask for help with something, provide help to someone else....the list goes on.
    • Engage in conversation with customers and onlookers - anyone who mentions your company or your product. Thank people, ask questions, solicit feedback, etc.
    • Search Twitter for mentions of your competitors and their competing products, to learn which words people are using. Now you start using them, too.
    • If you see someone who could use what you sell complaining about a competitor, offer to help them somehow - but don't disparage your competitor or his product.
    • Find the people who are influential in your market and follow them.
    • Thank people individually for following you - do NOT use an autoresponder. It's a pity for someone's first interaction with you to feel canned - and believe me, experienced Twitter users can smell an autoresponse a mile away.
  • Facebook
    • Post every day. You can post the same things on Facebook that you do on Twitter, with the added benefit of being able to include a photo and a much longer comment.
    • Invite engagement by asking people what they think about something you've posted. Comments are noticed by search engines.
    • Search Facebook for mentions of your competitors, etc.
    • More stuff here
  • LinkedIn
    • Join groups specific to your industry or to your target customers.
    • Post interesting articles and news to these groups.
    • Answer the questions people post in these groups.
    • Write recommendations for people you've done business with.
    • Ask your good customers to write recommendations for you.
  • Your blog:
    • Post about industry trends and issues
    • Post about business issues that aren't specific to your industry, but interesting to other business people
    • Post about your own company's news and developments
    • Offer insights and advice based on things you learn in the course of business, even if they're not directly about your own product
    • If you have something thoughtful to say about someone else's blog that is too long for a comment, write a post on your blog, linking to the post you are commenting on.
  • Other people's blogs:
    • Comment on people's posts, but avoid generic comments like "great post." Try to add something unique and interesting to the discussion. See above for when you have a lot to say about someone's post.
    • Ask if you may guest post if you think you have something to contribute. Many bloggers are happy to have guest authors post if they're adding value.
  • News sites:
    • Comment on news stories that are relevant to your industry and your business. Don't be snarky - be thoughtful. You can also share these news stories in your social accounts.


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