This is one of them questions that no-one really has a definitive answer for because Google’s algorithm is so diverse and constantly changing we can’t really put a pin in it. Never the less, there is a short answer… Yes, social media does have an impact on how well you’re SEO campaign will run.

For all the SEO’s out there, we know that there isn’t one act that can magically raise your profile in Google Rankings to number 1 but there are a large number of contributing aspect to an SEO campaign that need to be in place to ensure your maximise results.

How can we use Social Media to help SEO?

Matt Cutts, expert in search engines, mentions that Google’s ranking algorithm didn’t use or except Social signals as a factor when ranking websites. In recent video’s he has stated that Google does in fact use social signal when ranking, but how do they use them?

Social media won’t necessarily grant an instant boost to your SEO progress, there are a couple of ways that it can help to compliment the campaign if it is implemented correctly.

Mentions and Links

There is a lot we can take for social media but a boost in SEO isn’t one of them. We can though use social media to further impact our SEO efforts on our audience.

As part of any SEO campaign, smart and creative content should be written. This content, if written correctly and SEO’d well with links, keywords and images, can have a good impact on progress but we can utilise social media sharing and links to amplify its reach even further.

The interest generated from social media share can lead to higher volumes of traffic, in term, helping your SEO campaign prove that your website is a source of valuable content and should be visible to more users.

Let’s not forget the larger your following/audience is then the more users will be interacting with your posts and may even reach the website for a look.

With social platforms like Instagram and Twitter it’s relatively difficult to direct any traffic to a link because they don’t allow URL links in comments or posts but only in your bio text. If you can direct links to the website and user likes the sites feel and usability, chances are when they need your services they will remember sand return via Google.

Positive brand recognition

Let’s all agree that word of mouth is one of the best ways to promote a business or service for free. We can use social media in a similar way, utilising the share function along with linking posts gives friends and family that you like or trust that page/business.

Trust is essential to a business audience and if a user trusts your website, business and brand then they are more likely to use your services or buy your products.

Social media accounts and pages that have a lot of action can also appear in Google’s rankings. For SEO this may not be ideal. However, for a user, it helps them figure out that you are a genuine business and by looking through your social media accounts and relating with you on a personal level, they may feel more inclined to use you or the service you provide.

In Conclusion

Let’s not forget that most social media sites can operate like search engines themselves for example, you can search for services/businesses on Facebook and you can search for products on Instagram. Thus, in short you would be greatly mistaken if you believe that social media has no impact on internet search and couldn’t help your business thrive.

Here at Mosaic, we think that social media has a significant impact on search rankings in Google. And that when running an SEO campaign it would be wise and beneficial to run a Social Media campaign alongside it.

If you’re running an SEO campaign and are thinking about getting your social media up to scratch, give us a call on 01925 563 960 or take a look at our services here.