Menu
Menu
Today the terms “search engine optimization” or (SEO) and “social media marketing” (SMM) have made their way into the common vernacular. Although laymen are now familiar with the terms, sometimes, marketing professionals focus on just one or the other, when in fact, to get the most out of your digital assets and online marketing, it’s better to use both in a coordinated manner.
So let’s quickly review some of the key components of both SEO and SMM.
SEO is the act of using certain techniques to boost a page’s ranking in search results; this includes the following:
As you can see from the above, SEO takes a well-designed strategy and A LOT of attention to details. It pays dividends in the long term and must be done. There are not short cuts – just good old-fashioned analysis, creativity, and execution. SEO helps those looking for services or goods that you offer. But SEO in and of itself does not build a conversation and relationship with customers like SMM can.
SMM refers to the use of social networking platforms to help sell goods and services via connecting with clients in a personal and direct manner, that if done correctly will strengthen brand loyalty and grow a brand by the viral nature of SMM.
SMM has advantages that SEO does not. These include the following:
The one common denominator for companies that are successful with their online marketing is that they do not allow SEO and SMM to work independently of each other but rather symbiotically – each helping the other to ensure the big picture goals are reached.
Below are some tested and proven ways to boost your online marketing campaigns.
Identify the two or three social media platforms that your customers and target customers favor and build your campaigns around those platforms. It sounds obvious, but I often have to remind clients that do not need to be on eight different SM platforms to be successful. Just chose those two or three and focus on them.
Customers want information, and they also love a special offer. By promoting such via social media, you are gaining access to their networks and influence. Virtual word of mouth – so to speak – is still word of mouth and that is priceless. Getting your content to go viral has benefits for your SEO as well.
By allowing customers to share your content, you gain wider and faster exposure than most other means of marketing – and much more cost effective too. With content consumed, customers will visit your site and share links. Google’s bots (and others) will see the traffic and activity to your site, and that will help boost the site’s or page’s search engine ranking. The backlinks created by your SMM campaign will provide a lift to your site’s rankings as search engines consider your site and its content to be “authoritative.”
By coordinating your social media marketing with your SEO and web strategies, you will be able to create deep loyalty and relationships with your customers and prospective clients. Finally, always monitor your metrics in real-time as a campaign runs and use that data to identify strengths and weakness – and adjust accordingly.
At IMPROZ we are driven to help businesses grow using online, and digital marketing. So shoot us a question and engage in the conversation.
