Search engine optimization (SEO) can be daunting and confusing. Many believe social media and SEO should be separate, but both social media and SEO allow potential visitors to find your website. Since Google keeps changing its algorithms it can be harder to get your social media to rank #1. If you are new to SEO, these tips should help you optimize your SEO and increase your rank on Google.
1. Optimize Titles and Meta Descriptions
When creating a title or caption, it is important to keep your keyword(s) in mind. Your descriptions should be entertaining, flow in a sentence, and be easy to read. Make sure that your keywords are something that you would search. When I conduct a search online, I tend to pick the link with the title closest to the keywords I entered. Creating titles and descriptions with easily searchable words should increase your chances of moving up the ranks.
2. Brand Awareness
Increasing your brand awareness on social media can help validate your brand and increase your online presence. By producing relevant content for your brand you can increase engagement with your audience. A greater increase in engagement should lead to brand searches. The greater the number of searches for your brand on social media or Google will increase your SEO and move your brand up the ranking.
3. Content Focus
Content is key when it comes to SEO. If people do not find your content relevant or entertaining then they may not come back for more and will not share your content. Developing a niche with your content can help you stand out from the competition. When creating the content, focus on the finer details. Lean towards expanding on one idea instead of a generalized topic. If viewers find your content “share-worthy” then they will republish your content which will lead to a higher rate of click-through to your external site. External links increase SEO and make your brand more recognizable. A great example of viewer engagement was the promotion of the premiere of Game of Thrones, Season 7. One post led to multiple shares from followers and other popular brands. It continued to snowball from there.
4. Drive Local Engagement
Positioning some of your posts to focus on your local community can improve your SEO on Google. Announcing local partnerships on social media and sharing their content can not only increase your credibility but also encourage engagement with your local audience. Fostering better engagement and developing trust with your audience can help you stand out from the competition.
5. Free Resources
When working on making improvements to your SEO, you should utilize free resources. One of the best free resources out there is Google Search Console. This resource allows you to view analytics of your website, see who clicks on your links and who doesn’t, and shows you the success of your keywords. Neil Patel addresses how to become the #1 ranking on Google with this resource and other tips:
I hope SEO doesn’t seem as intimidating now with these tips and resources. SEO doesn’t happen overnight but if you implement some of these techniques you should see better results with time.