Social media is the new search engine 🔍
67% of Gen Z use Instagram for search and discovery instead of traditional search engines like Google, according to a report from Marketing Dive. This means social media SEO is more important than ever. This guide will cover:
-
What is social media SEO?
-
Examples of social media SEO in marketing
-
Social media SEO marketing tools
-
Strategies & tips to optimizing your social media for search
What is social media SEO?
Social media SEO is applying Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics to social media posts. This boosts your posts' visibility not only in in-app searches, but also in search engines like Google, which have started including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube videos in their search results. This drives valuable views to your socials and website!
Example: When you search "best Lake Charles restaurants" on Google, Visit Lake Charles' TikTok and YouTube pages show up on the front page.
Why is social media SEO important?
-
Social media platforms are increasingly used for search and discovery
-
Optimized social media content can appear on Google Search results
-
It helps your content reach a wider audience and attract organic traffic
-
It builds brand awareness and credibility
SEO tips for optimizing your social posts
Build a keyword strategy
Just like how you might strategize your website SEO, brainstorm what keywords your social media audience may search. What words or phrases would they use to search for your content?
Once you have a list, start incorporating these keywords naturally into your posts. Don't just stuff keywords in; make sure they fit seamlessly into your content. Sprinkle them in your thumbnail/cover text, script, closed captions, and hashtags. Experiment with both broad and niche keywords to cover all your bases!
Use search insights
Use auto-complete, search results, and top posts on Google, Instagram, and TikTok to find keyword ideas. Pay attention to what's trending and what people are actually searching for.
Example: When you look up "Lake Charles restaurants" on TikTok you can see a list of other terms that others searched for — and some posts by Visit Lake Charles' TikTok account, who have done a great job optimizing their social media for search!
Hop on trending topics
Social media algorithms favor buzzwords and current events because users are engaging with that content at a high volume. Incorporate these into your social media posts in a creative way (fast!) to boost your content’s reach — and your chances of going viral!
Optimize your social media profile info
Keep your profile info consistent across all channels. This includes your name, handle, bio, and link all being the same across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and so on. Include relevant keywords and hashtags in your bio so people can easily find you.
Example: Pacific Sands Beach Resort fits in tons of keywords like “Canada’s top surf beach,” “pet-friendly hotel and resort,” and “#1 on TripAdvisor." They also include their brand hashtag and location in their bio:
Use social media backlinks
Drive traffic to your website through links shared on social media. You can include multiple profile links in your Instagram bios, and use link in bio tools that link out your social posts to the website of your choice.
You can also include links in your post copy or comments on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and Instagram Stories have a handy link sticker that you can use to get people directly to your website.
Optimize your visual content
Always add closed captions and alt text to your videos and images. This is not only for accessibility so more people can enjoy your video, it also grabs people’s attention if they’re watching on mute, and it quickly informs the algorithm about your content.
SEO tools
-
Google Trends: See what's trending
-
Answer the Public: Discover questions your audience is asking
-
Hootsuite’s SEO Caption Generator: Get help with captions
-
TikTok’s Creator Search Insights (in-app): Find out what people are searching for on TikTok
Key takeaways
-
Social media SEO is crucial for increasing your reach
-
Conduct keyword research and search insights
-
Engage with trending topics
-
Use social media backlinks
-
Optimize your profile and visual content
By implementing these strategies, you can make your content take off and reach a much larger audience. Happy optimizing! 🔍
Want to watch the webinar?
SIgn up below to watch the replay 👇
