When trying to create a successful presence online, most marketers will at one point consider the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). In other words, with all content that you create online, whether on your website, blog or social media accounts, you’ll want to optimize. You may have something really important or creative to share, but what good is it if nobody can find it?

SEO should be a top priority among any online content creation. Businesses spend hundreds of hours adding keywords, content, and relevant information hoping to boost SEO rankings. Chances are that these businesses are also present across social media.

The question then presents itself: In what ways can a company’s Facebook, Twitter or YouTube channel impact these rankings?

Here are 5 Ways Social Media Impacts SEO Results:

1. Online Visibility

In short, being on social media helps your business create massive online visibility. Obviously, this is the foundation and key of SEO and search rankings. The more visible your name is, the easier it will be to find. The vast majority of internet users are also social media users, so it’s important to utilize these channels for exposure.

2. Brand Awareness

Another key way to boost SEO ratings is to create a brand and voice for your business across the web. The foundation of SEO is using relevant keywords, which ultimately lead back to the branding of your company and its products.

3. Conversation

Social media is designed to create and contribute to conversations. For businesses, this can be with customers, clients, competitors or other leading industry players. By sharing relevant links, pictures and comments, you will be seen as a leader in your industry. These posts and interactions will only help to boost your credibility, which is extremely important for SEO results.

4. Reputation

Going hand in hand with credibility is the ability to uphold your business’s reputation. Have you searched for yourself lately? What are your customers saying on review sites, or worse, other competitor’s sites? Whether good or bad, social media is an ideal outlet to change their minds and create dialogue. This kind of reputation monitoring will ultimately contribute to SEO results as well.

5. Search Ability

Ultimately, when working on your SEO rankings, the best benefit from social media is creating overall search ability. Impressing search engines is the ultimate goal in successful SEO rankings and they are huge fans of social media. Having and using accounts shows extreme credibility in their eyes which when it comes to SEO, are the only eyes that really matter.

All of these factors are ways to utilize social media to your advantage in creating an overall successful online presence. When considering these factors, you may find yourself asking if social media also plays an important role in PPC (Pay Per Click). Which is best for your business: SEO or PPC? These two forms of search engine marketing can both be beneficial for different businesses in various ways.

With some research and further understanding, you will be able to determine which can be most useful for you and your efforts. At the end of the day, businesses should no doubt have a voice and hand in the social media game by now. SEO or PPC, social media can and should be a key player in achieving these results.

To read more on getting the most out of social media for your business, check out a few more of our resources below.

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About the author

Courtney Gordner, founder of talkviral.com and contributing blogger for socialfresh.com graduated from Penn State with a degree in Communications. Her two favorite people in the world are her niece and nephew, Raegan and Lucas. When she’s not playing World’s Greatest Aunt, you can find her watching her favorite shows, sometimes on DVD if they’ve been canceled, (Homeland, SOA, The OC, One Tree Hill, Friends and many more).

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