If you own a small business, by now you understand the power of ranking in Google. You know that search engines can bring in traffic. You know that social media can help you connect with the people that matter most to your business. Combined, these channels open up a world of opportunity for business owners hoping to get real results through online marketing.
The new trend in 2015 will be social SEO. The impact that this will have on local businesses is huge. It falls right in line with Google's mobile update, the increase in mobile use, and the ubiquity of social media.
In case you don't know the numbers, three out of four people who find information in local search results helpful will likely visit in-store. eMarketer published a study stating that by 2017, the global social network audience will total 2.55 billion. BIA/Kelsey reported that nearly all consumers (97%) use the internet to shop locally.
What these statistics clearly demonstrate is consumers are using the internet, most notably their mobile phones, to find products and services. As smartphones become more prevalent and more people gain access to the internet, it makes sense that Google is now looking at everything from links to social activity to website responsiveness to decide where to rank websites in search results.
Give Your 'Social SEO' Strategy A Solid Start
Every successful SEO campaign starts with proper planning. You wouldn't build a house without a foundation. Would you really start building links without a optimizing your website first?
A solid SEO strategy starts with a easy to navigate, mobile-friendly website. This means w3c compliant code, proper utilization of headings and tags, and a clean url structure. Once you have that in place, it's time to work on the rest.
Social SEO Optimization Checklist
Social SEO is something small business owners can no longer ignore. Search engine optimization and social media are no longer standalone marketing solutions. If your goal is to be successful online, you need to do both.
Here is a 'social SEO' optimization checklist small business owners can follow to make sure they are staying on point for 2015:
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Target keywords people use to find your business. Use Google Keyword Planner to see how much traffic each keyword receives each month and optimize your campaign around your best opportunities.
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Create content that is informative and delightful. Publishing post after post is not going to do you any good. Focus instead on crafting content that is engaging and unique. Long form content is proven to perform better, so pay attention to word count.
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Optimize your local listings. Be consistent across the web and make sure that each of your listings has the same name, address and phone number (NAP).
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Include your keyword and service areas on social media. Update Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to include your geographic area, along with your most important keywords.
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Make it a point to connect with your customers. Your customers will always be your greatest fans. Find ways to connect with them online.
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Prioritize generating good reviews for your business. Positive reviews on third-party sites like Google My Business and Yelp are ranking factors Google uses. Ask your customers to review your business any chance you get.
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Earn high quality links to your website. Join local business organizations, register with the BBB, add your business to local directories and industry sites. Focus on gaining high quality, relevant links. Quality of quantity is what is important.
So is "social SEO" the new name of the game? Absolutely. If you are want to see your rankings go up in the search engines you have to realize that one channel does not trump the other. Both SEO and social media marketing work way better together.