Ben Austin
Are you one of the many who wonder how social media impacts SEO rankings for your website? With the proliferation of digital media platforms, the interaction between social media and SEO has become a hot topic amongst SEO agencies. This article aims to shed light on this matter, explaining how social media directly and indirectly contributes to SEO rankings.
Social Media and SEO: A Direct Relationship?
One major misunderstanding is that social media shares directly influence search rankings like traditional SEO signals such as backlinks. Contrary to this belief, Google has confirmed that social media shares aren’t a direct factor that impacts search rankings. Social media links are ‘no-followed’ meaning that search engines won’t follow links posted on social media to contribute to the linked site’s ranking.
Indirect Impacts:
Though social signals may not directly affect SEO rankings, they have an indirect impact on them. Listed below are some of the ways that define the correlation:
Visibility and Traffic:
Your social media pages improve the visibility of your content. When you share content on your social media channels, you increase the likelihood of people viewing it, thereby driving more traffic to your website. If these individuals then link to your website from their own websites or blogs, these backlinks would positively affect your search rankings.
Improved Online Presence:
Social channels serve as new portals or search engines themselves. Social searches are increasing. Many consumers are using social media channels for searching content. This means the more your brand is present on different social media channels, the more likely it is to appear in search results.
Local SEO:
The information shared on social media channels (like your business’s address, contact details, etc.) plays an important role in local SEO rankings. Google uses this information to index the content. Thus, it is vital to have the same information across all platforms.
Key Takeaways:
Even though social media does not directly impact SEO rankings, it undeniably influences them indirectly. By sharing content, engaging with users, and improving your online presence, social media can enhance your SEO efforts. Therefore, integrating social media in your SEO strategy could increase your overall visibility online and improve your search engine rankings. SEO professionals must view social media as a partner in strategy, contributing to the overall success and reach of online marketing efforts.
Understanding the relationship between social media and SEO rankings can lead to the creation of better content strategies that aid in improving website ranking, visibility, and engagement. Your social media efforts will not go in vain, and they will contribute to your overall SEO strategy and the final goal of a higher search ranking.
Ben Austin
Ben Austin is the founder and CEO of multi-award-winning digital marketing agency Absolute Digital Media. Ben loves to write and share exclusive insights into the world of digital marketing from his own eyes.
