Search Engine Optimization vs Social Media Marketing
If you are in a business that requires you to be found online then you would obviously love to be found on Page One of Google’s Search Engine. Wouldn’t it be great to have that coveted spot of Number One on Page One? How much business could you do if that were the case? There’s one problem though. It’s crazy tough to get on page one of google.
Why is SEO so hard?
SEO aka Search Engine Optimization is all about getting your website to rank well in the search engines for your particular brand and specific keywords. When a user types in a search phrase in google they get a list of results. Normally there are 10 website links, ads and more that google might deliver.
If you’re in a competitive industry, then there might be some major brands that spend millions on marketing that will dominate the search results. This makes it really tough for smaller business’s to compete online. Of course it’s not impossible. Especially if you focus on Local SEO with Long Tail Keywords and write a lot of content that is valuable.
SEO and New Websites
If you have a new website then ranking well in the first few months is highly unlikely. The reason for this is because brand new sites come online every second of the day. Page one is supposed to be for established websites. New websites need to develop credibility. It takes time. But Rome wasn’t built in a day and SEO isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon!
SEO Foundation
This means that your website follows SEO Best Practices:
- Fully Responsive
- Load Fast
- Provide Valuable Content
- Use Clean URL’s
- Be easily shared on the social networks
- Hint: WordPress is out of the Box a great platform for your website. Hence why the Former Head of Googles Webspam Team Uses WordPress -> His Website
Social Media Marketing
So if you want to generate leads online then what are you to do? Get your social house in order! You have your website which should be built on a solid SEO Foundation. This will enable you to eventually rank well in the search engines but for now it’s all about creating content that is sharable on your Social Media Channels. Ideally you should create Brand Pages on the following Networks. It all depends on the focus of your business.
- Facebook – Build a brand page that is separate from your personal timeline
- Google+ – Create a business page here as well
- Twitter – You should have a twitter account for your brand
- LinkedIn – You should create a business page
- Pinterest – Is great for picture boards
- Instagram – Is great for sharing images that are part of your brand
- Foursquare – Is ideal for local business’s
- Yelp – Get your business listed on Yelp
- Youtube – This is great for people who want to focus on Video.
Social Media Marketing can strengthen your brand and boost your visibility, as well as generate leads and increase your sales. Social Media helps by building connections that are a fundamental part of networking. This can help you get over the first few months or years of not being found on page one.
Does having a Website Still Matter?
If you won’t be found on page one for a long time and if you can use Social Media, then why should you consider having a website? Fair question, Think about this for a m moment Do you currently do business with people on Social Media? Probably not. You most likely still want to find a business’s website and do business there. It’s all about building your brand. When you own your Website, you control any changes made. Social Media Platforms tend to change their Algorithm to suit there needs and not necessarily yours.
Generate Content on your website, make it look clean and professional. Make sure that it is built on a platform that is optimized for the search engines and easily shared on the social networks. Make connections online through your social media channels and let people engage with your brand. Be more than just a business. Be personable. Remember, all things being equal, people like to do business with people they know and trust. Make sure you are genuine. That is how you make Social Media Marketing work for you. Then after time the SEO will follow.
In Conclusion
While you should continue to follow the latest trends on SEO, you should make it a priority to optimize your Social Media Presence.