The process of social media optimization (SMO) enables your content gather more eyeballs on the social space.
SMO increases the reach of your content and promotes brand awareness. Content shared through blogs, microblogging websites and even through emails can be optimized for social media. Having a sound social media presence is not a prerequisite for SMO; SMO is more about leveraging the reach of social networks for enhancing your brand presence.
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIMIZATION, NOT ONLY DO YOU REACH YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE, BUT YOU REACH THEM FASTER.
Benefits of Social Media Optimization
DRIVES TRAFFIC
People who find your content interesting and valuable are more likely to share your content with their friends through social media networks or emails, thereby helping you garner huge readership for your content. This sharing takes your content to your target audiences and establishing a well-targeted reach in the process.
BETTER SEO & RANKING
Sharing of links among viewers generates quality backlinks, which are favored by search engines. Therefore, SMO helps boost search engine ranks as well.
FASTER REACH
With SMO, not only do you reach your target audience, but you reach them faster. Content recommended by your audiences on social media tends to spread faster than content recommended by brands. Discussions on social networks and social sharing disseminate customer accolades, enquiries and other relevant information, faster.
GENERATES CREDIBILITY
When users share or comment on content, it’s an indication that people are reading and taking time to offer feedback. This increases the value of your content in the eyes of other audiences who tend to respond with a comment too. This social echo increases the credibility of the content and the brand behind it.
CREATES BRAND SUPPORTERS
By enabling audiences to share or comment on content, you’re giving them opportunity to speak their mind. As they get involved, they get to know more about your brand and your culture, increasing the likeliness of their becoming advocates of your brand.
PROVIDES PERFORMANCE MEASURE
SMO helps measure the performance of your content. Depending on comments, votes (e.g. Facebook Like) and sharing, you get to determine how successful your content has been in attracting audience attention.
PEOPLE WHO FIND YOUR CONTENT INTERESTING AND VALUABLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO SHARE YOUR CONTENT WITH THEIR FRIENDS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS OR EMAILS.
How Social Media Supports SEO:
1. Quality content gets published
2. Content get shares, links & likes
3. Site gains subscribers while social profile gains fans & followers
4. Thriving community supporting site grows
5. Reputation reinforced through social media & SEO as authoritative brand for the niche
6. Site gains authority in search engines
7. Sustainable stream of users discover site organically
Social Media Optimization Tips
SHARE COMPELLING CONTENT
Your audience will want to share content only if it’s worth sharing. Use different types of content including text, images, multimedia, videos and infographics to connect with the audience. Include share buttons on the webpage to enable sharing on social sites.
INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH LIVE VIDEO FEEDS
A recent company event, corporate celebration, or a depiction of a day at work all make for good content for videos. Invite audiences to comment on the video.
HAVE LIVE TWITTER OR FACEBOOK FEEDS ON YOUR WEBSITE
This serves multiple purposes. For one, you’ll have a fresh and updated webpage as you add content, or as live feeds keep coming in.
There is no guarantee that visitors are going to go through the effort of clicking a button to connect to your Twitter or Facebook page; with live feeds, they can easily catch up with updates while on your website.
By enabling visitors to sign into their Facebook or Twitter account directly from your website makes it easier for them to share content instantly. Live feeds increase visitor stay time on your website even while promoting your content.