7 Key Elements of Social SEO to Know for 2017

It can feel like there’s a new social media platform to master every couple of weeks. You know you need to use them or your social SEO will suffer.

But you’ve already wasted so much time on building social media profiles. And you have no idea if they even did any good.

We get it. It’s easy to dismiss organic content because it’s harder to do. It takes time to build and nurture a following.

So why would you invest that time when you can use paid advertising? That makes it easier to track your success (or failure).

But social media doesn’t have to be so difficult. If you have great content, then you can still be found in an organic way.

Remember 31% of online shoppers use social media platforms when they’re shopping.

That’s a lot of online users primed and ready to buy when they stop by your Twitter page.

So great content doesn’t just boost your SEO. It’s crucial to your social SEO.

1) Use hashtags

Discoverability can be the downside of social media in general. And if people can’t find you, that hurts your social SEO.

But hashtags? They’re gold.

Think of them as mini search terms that work within each social platform. And what does a search term do?

It serves up content to someone who is actively looking for it. They’re primed to engage with you.

Working on your hashtag game means you can spend more on creating great content and less on promoting it.

A visitor who finds you through a hashtag is a more qualified lead than someone who saw an ad.

Think about it as the difference between actively seeking content and being passively served content. Who’s going to be more engaged?

2) Social media can be used as a search engine

We’re used to thinking of social media and search engines as separate. But perhaps the line is getting blurred.

This is great news if you’re trying to boost your social SEO.

Facebook facilitates over 2 billion in searches through its platform every day. And the company is working on recommendation tools to give users more of what they want.

Get on board to this trend early. Remember, great content is still your cost of entry to this game.

Organic reach can serve up better leads. But you’d better have something awesome to show them when they arrive.

And you’ll need some means of keeping them once they’re there.

3) Widen your reach beyond Twitter.

Twitter was once the key pillar of any social marketing strategy. But if you want to boost your SEO you’ll need to look beyond the blue bird.

With so many users now using Twitter (there are, on average, 500 million tweets per day), it’s easier for content to get lost.

The fast-paced news feed was once its novelty factor. But now it’s just overwhelming.

Users want more in-depth content that takes longer to consume. That said, Twitter is investigating live-streaming so it’s possible the platform will just shift, instead of dying out.

So keep using Twitter, because it’s still great for organic reach. But don’t rely on it.

4) Experiment with ‘live’ social media.

Social media automation can be highly effective when it’s used properly. But use it too often and it leaves followers thinking you’re never around.

The huge success of Snapchat and the growth of Instagram Stories’s popularity demonstrate one thing.

Users want connections with you. And they want live content.

Live video also lets you invite users into your experience. It’s a great way to show them connection points between your life and theirs.

It’s okay if you clam up or something goes wrong. It just proves there’s a human behind the brand.

Sure, it’s harder to share a Facebook Live broadcast as it happens. However, users are more likely to share your content later if they liked your broadcast.

Making those connections with followers is an easy way to increase your social SEO.

5) Not using all of the platforms won’t hurt your social SEO

It’s logical to assume that the more platforms you use, the larger an audience you’ll have.

But it’s not necessarily true. Pinterest has more than 150 million active users every month.

If you’re a lawyer, then those 150 million active users might not be your audience. And that’s okay.

You’re hurting your social SEO more by spreading yourself too thinly. You’ll create better content – and put it in front of the right people – if you focus on using the right platforms.

So work out where your target audience hangs out and focus your social media efforts there — and find some way to get them back to your website. 

6) Stand for something

This might seem a strange choice. But we’ve seen a definite shift in the way that brands interact with the world.

Heavy global hitters like Starbucks, Facebook, Microsoft, and Air BnB have all worn their ethical hearts on their sleeves. By backing politically charged causes, they’ve shown the humanity at the center of their brand.

You might not want to say anything potentially divisive. You don’t want to chase away followers.

Yet the ones who stay, or the ones who flock to your banner, will be true fans. They won’t just stick around because they like your products.

They’ll engage with you because you think the way they do.

Start small and choose causes you absolutely believe in. Perhaps pick something local and get involved.

You’ll soon see your engagement levels change.

7) Never underestimate LinkedIn

It seems like LinkedIn sometimes gets a raw deal on social media blogs. It’s seen as the staid, stuffy cousin of younger, more hip platforms like Instagram.

But LinkedIn does data better than any other platform.

With its emphasis on making job applications within its on-site platform, LinkedIn is making the move into HR more official.

And with LinkedIn Publisher, it’s never been easier to repurpose your content for a more targeted, professional audience.

Using LinkedIn more won’t necessarily bring in new customers. But it will increase your social SEO.

And having a healthy profile will also make it more likely that you’ll get high-calibre applicants if you decide to hire.

If you need help with your social media identity, get in touch with us today. We’d love to help you engage with your fan base and grow your traffic.