Does Social Media Affect SEO?
Stephen McCance May 13, 2019
Social media and its impact on the marketing world is something we’ve discussed in great detail here on the Red Cow blog. This week we’re going to delve into whether social media can actually impact your rankings.
Google and other search engines have already said that they’ve got no algorithm in place that recognises the correlation between social media ‘likes’ and the trustworthiness of your brand. So, if you notice your brand rising the ranks as your social media posts starts to gain popularity, this is likely to be because of indirect correlations. Essentially this means that, in short, the answer to the question does social media affect SEO is – yes. But not in the way that you may think.
Social Sharing Increases Visibility
Nowadays, it’s any brand’s dream to have a tweet ‘go viral’. Though many brands have benefited greatly from their posts being shared all over the internet (especially smaller businesses) it’s not quite the same as a post from your site going viral. This is because a Facebook post linking back to your site with thousands of shares is likely to increase the visibility of a page. If the original page gets noticed by a content creator or journalist, they may link back to the post. This will create a link which, in turn, increases the chances of that page ranking.
User Interaction Signals to Google
The user experience (UX) is a huge part of a website. Creating easy to navigate, dynamic and engaging content is crucial if you want the lowest possible bounce rate. After all, Google will start to notice those sites that can’t retain user attention. When users stay on a page, it gives Google an indication that the page is relevant and of quality.
In this same way, when likes, shares, tweets and comments are left below the page – this is also an indication that people thought it was a good page. Pages that people like tend to rank higher, which is why user interaction from social media accounts is important.
Social Media Profiles Can Rank in Search Engines
Social media profiles can rank in Google. Before Google recently announced that Google+ was no more, their posts were inevitably favoured. However, other platforms like Facebook and Twitter are still in with a chance of ranking. If you type the name of a business into a search engine, then their social media profiles will pop up either above or below their official website. If a company is able to rank their site and social profiles, this means they’re taking up valuable space at the top of the search results. This can help businesses combat competitors.
Overall, Does Social Media Affect SEO?
Does social media affect SEO in a way that we can track? Not yet. While social media may not have a direct link to SEO, there’s certainly overwhelming evidence to suggest that it can affect it. With the number of social media users not likely to fall anytime soon, social sharing is on its way to becoming a more influential ranking tool. In the future, Google may take into account more about a brand’s social media presence, beyond simply acknowledging the number of visitors to a site from a shared post.
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