Why SEO is important for your social media in 2024

When people speak about SEO, they’re normally referring to search engines and websites, such as Google.

This is understandable. Most tech historians believe that SEO and all things search engine marketing began with the launch of the first website published in 1991, or when the first web search engine launched.

What is social media SEO?

Social media SEO is optimizing your social media profiles and the content you post to improve your discoverability on social media platforms and search engines. It’s about strategically using social media to boost your website’s visibility and attract a wider audience.

A brief history of social media SEO

The early 2000s saw the explosion of social media platforms like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. These platforms initially weren’t considered SEO factors.

In the mid-2010s, search engines began considering social media engagement metrics like shares and likes as indicators of content quality and user interest. Businesses started experimenting with social media for brand awareness and basic SEO tactics like keyword inclusion in bios and posts.

In the late 2010s – 2024, social media SEO strategies became more sophisticated. Content marketing and audience engagement became key aspects. Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest highlighted the importance of visually compelling content for social media SEO.

Young people, like Gen Z, are even using TikTok instead of Google to find their information. Senior Vice President of Google’s Knowledge & Information organization, Prabhakar Raghavan, said “In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.”

Why social media SEO matters to your business

Social media goes beyond just brand awareness. It can directly impact your bottom line. Here’s a breakdown of the key benefits:

• Make your brand more visible online: Social media puts your company directly in front of potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours. By using relevant keywords and hashtags, you increase your discoverability and drive more qualified traffic to your website.
• Improve your organic search ranking: Social media engagement metrics like shares, comments, and likes are seen as indicators of valuable content by search engines. This social media buzz can potentially boost your website’s ranking in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you organically.
• Build better customer relationships: Social media allows you to directly connect with your target audience, understand their needs and preferences, and tailor your content accordingly. This two-way communication builds stronger relationships and fosters brand loyalty.
• It’s a cost-effective form of marketing: Compared to traditional advertising, social media offers a relatively inexpensive way to reach a large audience. By creating high-quality, engaging content, you can organically attract new customers without breaking the bank.
• Get more people to your website: Social media is a powerful tool for driving traffic to your website. By sharing engaging content with clear calls to action, you can encourage users to visit your website, learn more about your offerings, and ultimately convert into paying customers.
• Understand your customers better: Social media platforms provide a treasure trove of data about your target audience. You can track engagement metrics, analyze user behavior, and gain valuable insights into their preferences and pain points. This data can be used to refine your social media strategy, content creation, and overall marketing efforts.

How to optimize your social media accounts for SEO

Optimize your profile

• Keywords: Integrate relevant keywords throughout your social media profiles. This includes your username (ideally consistent across platforms), bio, and even the descriptions for your photos and videos.
• The About section: Write a bio that uses everyday language but strategically incorporates relevant keywords. Pay attention to character limits, especially on platforms like X where bios are truncated in search results.
• Visuals: Use high-quality images and videos that are relevant to your content and brand. Include alt text with keywords to describe the visual content for both accessibility and searchability.

Create a content strategy

• Keyword research: Conduct keyword research to identify what your target audience is searching for. Then, create content that addresses those search queries and provides valuable information.
• Content pillars: Establish content pillars, which are core topics you consistently cover across all your social media platforms. This helps build topical authority and shows search engines you’re a credible source.
• Hashtags: Research and incorporate relevant hashtags in your posts to improve discoverability on the platform. However, don’t overdo it, as excessive hashtags can appear spammy.
• Calls to action: End your posts with clear calls to action, like encouraging viewers to visit your website for more information or to subscribe for updates.

Connect your social accounts and website

• Link sharing: Include links to your website in relevant social media posts. However, prioritize providing valuable content first, and use links strategically to enhance the user experience.
• Social sharing buttons: Make it easy for visitors to share your website content on social media by adding social sharing buttons.
• Engagement: Respond to comments and messages promptly. This improves engagement, which can be a positive factor in some social media ranking algorithms.

How is social media SEO evolving?

• More focus on user intent: Search engines and social media platforms are getting better at understanding user intent behind searches and queries. Social media SEO will move beyond just keyword stuffing and instead prioritize creating content that genuinely addresses user needs.
• The rise of voice search: Voice search is becoming increasingly popular. Social media content optimized for natural language conversations will be more discoverable through voice searches.
• Video content is booming: The popularity of video content like short-form videos on TikTok and long-form content on YouTube is expected to continue. Social media SEO will require optimizing video content with captions, descriptions, and transcripts to improve searchability.
• Personalization using AI: Expect to see social media platforms leverage AI to personalize user experiences. Social media SEO might involve tailoring content based on user demographics, interests, and past interactions.
• The importance of social listening: Social listening will become even more crucial. Social listening, also referred to as social media listening, is the process of identifying and assessing what is being said about a company, individual, product, or brand on the internet. Businesses can leverage social media to understand their audience’s needs and preferences and then tailor their content strategy accordingly.
• Metrics and analytics: Social media platforms will provide more advanced analytics to help users understand what content resonates with their audience. This data will be valuable for optimizing social media SEO strategies.

Your next step?

Social media SEO can seem complicated at first. That’s why we recommend using an SEO specialist to help you create a proper strategy.

Contact XDigitalSEO to get started with optimizing your social media for SEO.