MARKETING

Everything You Need to Know About Social SEO

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2022

Integrating social media into your content strategy is a no-brainer. But with the search industry always abuzz on whether social media influences Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or not, you’d be confused.

Just to be clear, yes, social SEO can influence your website’s SEO. However, the connection between the two is not as direct as most people would like it to be.

In this article, we’ll discuss everything there is to know about social SEO and how it can benefit your business.

What Is Social SEO?

Social Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to how a brand’s activities on social media can influence its website’s traffic and rankings on search engines. For example, when your social media post goes viral, does that make your website or the page linked in the post rank higher on Google?

There’s no doubt that social media is beneficial to brands. However, the correlation between social SEO, social signals, and SEO is confusing, to say the least. Just do a quick search on whether social media signals are a ranking factor on Google, and you’ll get mixed signals.

Google itself doesn’t provide a clear roadmap on this. But with that said, a good portion of digital marketing strategists and SEO experts would agree that social signals impact search rankings to some degree. It might not be direct, but it’s there.

Below, we’ll discuss some key benefits you get when you integrate social media into your SEO strategy:

Top 5 Key Benefits Of Social SEO

Data by WorldOMeter shows that almost five million sites are published in a day. With this kind of volume, standing out gets more challenging by the day. But with the right content marketing strategy and medium, you can still improve your chances. Here’s how social SEO can help:

1. Boosts Online Brand Authority

One of the best ways to build your brand authority which can help your SEO is to establish trust with your audience. Businesses can take advantage of social media as an extension of customer service to foster and nurture that trust.

A great way of doing this is by swiftly responding to comments, questions, and private messages regularly. Additionally, you can boost your brand authority by creating good social media content that is relevant to your audience and engaging. If you engage people enough, other publications with online authority may take notice and create content around your content, thereby boosting your online authority.

Check out this example from Skittles. The brand used social media to apologize–in a humorous way—to customers for having removed from the market their lime flavor.

Source

That garnered quite the attention.

So, many publications, including Fast Company, a monthly American business magazine, took up the topic and wrote articles about the apology, further legitimizing Skittles as a brand online:

Social media channels are a direct line of communication to your customer base and are the perfect venue to engage them. That presents an incredible opportunity you can use to boost your brand authority metrics in your line of business. Also, one way of getting more attention to your brand is to hold virtual events that are in line with your target audience and have topics related to your industry so your brand leverages its recognition in the market.

2.Increases Traffic to Your Site

You can also use social media to help drive traffic to your website. If you get enough traffic, your ranking in SERPs can improve.

For example, travel blogger Adventurous Kate wrote a blog post that recounted her ordeal after getting shipwrecked in Indonesia. The content generated a lot of exposure on social media and even became viral.

The result was that many websites ended up covering the story, too. Instead of just mentioning Adventurous Kate in their articles, they also linked to her blog:

Source

Those who read these articles on any of these sites could easily click on the links and read the original Adventurous Kate story on her own website. That would mean they’d spend time on the travel website. According to Semrush’s study, both time spent on site and total referring domains are ranking factors. In other words, they directly influence how your website ranks in SERPs.

You don’t have to get shipwrecked to go viral on social media and generate the social signals necessary for generating high-quality backlinks. Just work on generating fresh content ideas and creating content that will resonate with your audience. We’ll talk about how you can create this content a little later.

Additionally, you’ll need to invest in online courses on social media marketing to learn about the different best practices on the various social platforms. Not everything you do on Facebook, for instance, will work on Twitter. Writing long captions on Facebook, for instance, is allowed. That is something you shouldn’t do on Twitter.

3.Improves Your Brand Visibility in SERPs

In a social campaign study by Hootsuite, articles with social promotion showed a positive correlation between their social engagements and their rank in Google search results.

Social shares may or may not directly affect the web page’s position on search listings, but Google pulls out social media posts on search results. Social media profiles often appear on the top results in the search listings for brands.

For instance, in a simple search for Zoho on Google, the company’s social accounts are in the top position in search results. Zoho’s Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook social profiles appeared on the 2nd, 4th and 5th search positions, respectively.

Source

Therefore, you must optimize your social media profiles correctly. Write a good bio showing what your business does and add a link to your company’s website. It would also help if you could get your account verified. Finally, be active on social media to ensure any posts appearing on the SERPs are recent and relevant.

The key takeaway is that social profiles showing up on Google searches can help increase your visibility on the SERPs.

4.Increases Branded Searches

Branded searches refer to search queries that see a user searching for something that includes a brand name. So, for example, instead of typing the word “jeans,” they type the word “Levi’s men’s jeans” instead.

As more people perform these branded searches, let’s say, for example, Levi’s men’s jeans, the Google algorithm starts to associate the brand (Levi’s) with those products/services (men’s jeans). So, when someone types only the words “men’s jeans” in the Google search field, that company’s website (Levi’s) also appears in search results:

Many SEO experts report this correlation. Here are some comments by Brian Dean from Backlinko on an SEO post:

Source

To leverage social SEO, ensure you have an active presence everywhere, including on social media. So when people start looking for products, they could use your brand name while searching for the products you have to offer.

However, note that the effects of branded searches will take time to reflect on your website’s rankings. Whether it’s SEO for SaaS businesses or small businesses, after all, SEO is still a long-term game. But that doesn’t mean the boost in your SEO won’t happen.

5.Helps You Create Ranking Content

You can also use social media to create content that will rank in SERPs. How? By leveraging the audience data you find on social media platforms.

Your keyword research helps you identify SEO keywords to create ranking content. These SEO keywords are words typically used by searchers when looking for something on Google. Since these are words searchers typically use, it follows you may also find these same words in the posts that they create on social media.

In other words, if you look on social media, you may actually get some ideas on what keywords to aim for in creating your content. You can later use a keyword research tool to check the keyword search volume and verify.

Keywords aren’t the only thing you can get from your audience on social media. You can also determine their interests, wants, and needs. That can help you craft content that caters to them. If it caters to them, your content will most likely be read.

Source

Scouring social media for information is one way to know these things. Another way to get to know your audience is to use social media listening tools or interact with them directly.

Xero, a cloud-based accounting software platform, uses social media to interact with its target audience frequently. Notice from their social media posts that they actively try to engage and understand their client’s needs.

Whether through polls, replying to comments, or using social listening tools, take full advantage of social platforms to know your customers better. Quality content is key to your search engine ranking and Search Engine Optimization.

In Closing

Social media signals are not direct ranking factors, but that doesn’t mean businesses should no longer pay attention to social media. Social media, after all, can help your SEO in many ways.

As we’ve seen in this article, you can boost your brand’s authority and increase website traffic with the proper use of these social platforms. You can also optimize your visibility in SERPs and increase your branded searches. Finally, you can also use social media to find the data you need to help you create ranking content.

Business owners stand to benefit from social SEO. All they have to do is know how to leverage it.

MARKETING

Tinuiti Marketing Analytics Recognized by Forrester

Published

12 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Tinuiti Marketing Analytics Recognized by Forrester

News

By Tinuiti Team

Apr 16 2024

Rapid Media Mix Modeling and Proprietary Tech Transform Brand Performance

Tinuiti, the largest independent full-funnel performance marketing agency, has been included in a recent Forrester Research report titled, “The Marketing Analytics Landscape, Q2 2024.” This report comprehensively overviews marketing analytics markets, use cases, and capabilities. B2C marketing leaders can use this research by Principal Analyst Tina Moffett to understand the intersection of marketing analytics capabilities and use cases to determine the vendor or service provider best positioned for their analytics and insights needs. Moffett describes the top marketing analytics markets as advertising agencies, marketing dashboards and business intelligence tools, marketing measurement and optimization platforms and service providers, and media analytics tools.

As an advertising agency, we believe Tinuiti is uniquely positioned to manage advertising campaigns for brands including buying, targeting, and measurement. Our proprietary measurement technology, Bliss Point by Tinuiti, allows us to measure the optimal level of investment to maximize impact and efficiency. According to the Forrester report, “only 30% of B2C marketing decision-makers say their organization uses marketing or media mix modeling (MMM),” so having a partner that knows, embraces, and utilizes MMM is important. As Tina astutely explains, data-driven agencies have amplified their marketing analytics competencies with data science expertise; and proprietary tools; and tailored their marketing analytics techniques based on industry, business, and data challenges.

Our Rapid Media Mix Modeling sets a new standard in the market with its exceptional speed, precision, and transparency. Our patented tech includes Rapid Media Mix Modeling, Always-on Incrementality, Brand Equity, Creative Insights, and Forecasting – it will get you to your Marketing Bliss Point in each channel, across your entire media mix, and your overall brand performance.

As a marketing leader you may ask yourself:

How much of our marketing budget should we allocate to driving store traffic versus e-commerce traffic?
How should we allocate our budget by channel to generate the most traffic and revenue possible?
How many customers did we acquire in a specific region with our media spend?
What is the impact of seasonality on our media mix?
How should we adjust our budget accordingly?
What is the optimal marketing channel mix to maximize brand awareness?

These are just a few of the questions that Bliss Point by Tinuiti can help you answer.

Learn more about our customer-obsessed, product-enabled, and fully integrated approach and how we’ve helped fuel full-funnel outcomes for the world’s most digital-forward brands like Poppi & Toms.

The Landscape report is available online to Forrester customers or for purchase here.

MARKETING

Ecommerce evolution: Blurring the lines between B2B and B2C

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Ecommerce evolution: Blurring the lines between B2B and B2C

Understanding convergence

B2B and B2C ecommerce are two distinct models of online selling. B2B ecommerce is between businesses, such as wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers. B2C ecommerce refers to transactions between businesses like retailers and consumer brands, directly to individual shoppers.

However, in recent years, the boundaries between these two models have started to fade. This is known as the convergence between B2B and B2C ecommerce and how they are becoming more similar and integrated.

Source: White Paper: The evolution of the B2B Consumer Buyer (ClientPoint, Jan 2024)

What’s driving this change?

Ever increasing customer expectations

Customers today expect the same level of convenience, speed, and personalization in their B2B transactions as they do in their B2C interactions. B2B buyers are increasingly influenced by their B2C experiences. They want research, compare, and purchase products online, seamlessly transitioning between devices and channels. They also prefer to research and purchase online, using multiple devices and channels.

Forrester, 68% of buyers prefer to research on their own, online . Customers today expect the same level of convenience, speed, and personalization in their B2B transactions as they do in their B2C interactions. B2B buyers are increasingly influenced by their B2C experiences. They want research, compare, and purchase products online, seamlessly transitioning between devices and channels. They also prefer to research and purchase online, using multiple devices and channels

Technology and omnichannel strategies

Technology enables B2B and B2C ecommerce platforms to offer more features and functionalities, such as mobile optimization, chatbots, AI, and augmented reality. Omnichannel strategies allow B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses to provide a seamless and consistent customer experience across different touchpoints, such as websites, social media, email, and physical stores.

However, with every great leap forward comes its own set of challenges. The convergence of B2B and B2C markets means increased competition. Businesses now not only have to compete with their traditional rivals, but also with new entrants and disruptors from different sectors. For example, Amazon Business, a B2B ecommerce platform, has become a major threat to many B2B ecommerce businesses, as it offers a wide range of products, low prices, and fast delivery

“Amazon Business has proven that B2B ecommerce can leverage popular B2C-like functionality” argues Joe Albrecht, CEO / Managing Partner, Xngage. . With features like Subscribe-and-Save (auto-replenishment), one-click buying, and curated assortments by job role or work location, they make it easy for B2B buyers to go to their website and never leave. Plus, with exceptional customer service and promotional incentives like Amazon Business Prime Days, they have created a reinforcing loyalty loop.

And yet, according to Barron’s, Amazon Business is only expected to capture 1.5% of the $5.7 Trillion addressable business market by 2025. If other B2B companies can truly become digital-first organizations, they can compete and win in this fragmented space, too.”

If other B2B companies can truly become digital-first organizations, they can also compete and win in this fragmented space

Joe Albrecht
CEO/Managing Partner, XNGAGE

Increasing complexity

Another challenge is the increased complexity and cost of managing a converging ecommerce business. Businesses have to deal with different customer segments, requirements, and expectations, which may require different strategies, processes, and systems. For instance, B2B ecommerce businesses may have to handle more complex transactions, such as bulk orders, contract negotiations, and invoicing, while B2C ecommerce businesses may have to handle more customer service, returns, and loyalty programs. Moreover, B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses must invest in technology and infrastructure to support their convergence efforts, which may increase their operational and maintenance costs.

How to win

Here are a few ways companies can get ahead of the game:

Adopt B2C-like features in B2B platforms

User-friendly design, easy navigation, product reviews, personalization, recommendations, and ratings can help B2B ecommerce businesses to attract and retain more customers, as well as to increase their conversion and retention rates.

According to McKinsey, ecommerce businesses that offer B2C-like features like personalization can increase their revenues by 15% and reduce their costs by 20%. You can do this through personalization of your website with tools like Product Recommendations that help suggest related products to increase sales.

Focus on personalization and customer experience

B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses need to understand their customers’ needs, preferences, and behaviors, and tailor their offerings and interactions accordingly. Personalization and customer experience can help B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy, as well as to improve their brand reputation and competitive advantage. According to a Salesforce report, 88% of customers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.

Market based on customer insights

Data and analytics can help B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses to gain insights into their customers, markets, competitors, and performance, and to optimize their strategies and operations accordingly. Data and analytics can also help B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses to identify new opportunities, trends, and innovations, and to anticipate and respond to customer needs and expectations. According to McKinsey, data-driven organizations are 23 times more likely to acquire customers, six times more likely to retain customers, and 19 times more likely to be profitable.

What’s next?

The convergence of B2B and B2C ecommerce is not a temporary phenomenon, but a long-term trend that will continue to shape the future of ecommerce. According to Statista, the global B2B ecommerce market is expected to reach $20.9 trillion by 2027, surpassing the B2C ecommerce market, which is expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2027. Moreover, the report predicts that the convergence of B2B and B2C ecommerce will create new business models, such as B2B2C, B2A (business to anyone), and C2B (consumer to business).

Therefore, B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses need to prepare for the converging ecommerce landscape and take advantage of the opportunities and challenges it presents. Here are some recommendations for B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses to navigate the converging landscape:

Conduct a thorough analysis of your customers, competitors, and market, and identify the gaps and opportunities for convergence.
Develop a clear vision and strategy for convergence, and align your goals, objectives, and metrics with it.
Invest in technology and infrastructure that can support your convergence efforts, such as cloud, mobile, AI, and omnichannel platforms.
Implement B2C-like features in your B2B platforms, and vice versa, to enhance your customer experience and satisfaction.
Personalize your offerings and interactions with your customers, and provide them with relevant and valuable content and solutions.
Leverage data and analytics to optimize your performance and decision making, and to innovate and differentiate your business.
Collaborate and partner with other B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses, as well as with other stakeholders, such as suppliers, distributors, and customers, to create value and synergy.
Monitor and evaluate your convergence efforts, and adapt and improve them as needed.

By following these recommendations, B2B and B2C ecommerce businesses can bridge the gap between their models and create a more integrated and seamless ecommerce experience for their customers and themselves.

MARKETING

Streamlining Processes for Increased Efficiency and Results

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Streamlining Processes for Increased Efficiency and Results

How can businesses succeed nowadays when technology rules? With competition getting tougher and customers changing their preferences often, it’s a challenge. But using marketing automation can help make things easier and get better results. And in the future, it’s going to be even more important for all kinds of businesses.

So, let’s discuss how businesses can leverage marketing automation to stay ahead and thrive.

Benefits of automation marketing automation to boost your efforts

First, let’s explore the benefits of marketing automation to supercharge your efforts:

Marketing automation simplifies repetitive tasks, saving time and effort.

With automated workflows, processes become more efficient, leading to better productivity. For instance, automation not only streamlines tasks like email campaigns but also optimizes website speed, ensuring a seamless user experience. A faster website not only enhances customer satisfaction but also positively impacts search engine rankings, driving more organic traffic and ultimately boosting conversions.

Automation allows for precise targeting, reaching the right audience with personalized messages.

With automated workflows, processes become more efficient, leading to better productivity. A great example of automated workflow is Pipedrive & WhatsApp Integration in which an automated welcome message pops up on their WhatsApp

within seconds once a potential customer expresses interest in your business.

Increases ROI

By optimizing campaigns and reducing manual labor, automation can significantly improve return on investment.

Leveraging automation enables businesses to scale their marketing efforts effectively, driving growth and success. Additionally, incorporating lead scoring into automated marketing processes can streamline the identification of high-potential prospects, further optimizing resource allocation and maximizing conversion rates.

Harnessing the power of marketing automation can revolutionize your marketing strategy, leading to increased efficiency, higher returns, and sustainable growth in today’s competitive market. So, why wait? Start automating your marketing efforts today and propel your business to new heights, moreover if you have just learned ways on how to create an online business

How marketing automation can simplify operations and increase efficiency

Understanding the Change

Marketing automation has evolved significantly over time, from basic email marketing campaigns to sophisticated platforms that can manage entire marketing strategies. This progress has been fueled by advances in technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, making automation smarter and more adaptable.

One of the main reasons for this shift is the vast amount of data available to marketers today. From understanding customer demographics to analyzing behavior, the sheer volume of data is staggering. Marketing automation platforms use this data to create highly personalized and targeted campaigns, allowing businesses to connect with their audience on a deeper level.

The Emergence of AI-Powered Automation

In the future, AI-powered automation will play an even bigger role in marketing strategies. AI algorithms can analyze huge amounts of data in real-time, helping marketers identify trends, predict consumer behavior, and optimize campaigns as they go. This agility and responsiveness are crucial in today’s fast-moving digital world, where opportunities come and go in the blink of an eye. For example, we’re witnessing the rise of AI-based tools from AI website builders, to AI logo generators and even more, showing that we’re competing with time and efficiency.

Combining AI-powered automation with WordPress management services streamlines marketing efforts, enabling quick adaptation to changing trends and efficient management of online presence.

Moreover, AI can take care of routine tasks like content creation, scheduling, and testing, giving marketers more time to focus on strategic activities. By automating these repetitive tasks, businesses can work more efficiently, leading to better outcomes. AI can create social media ads tailored to specific demographics and preferences, ensuring that the content resonates with the target audience. With the help of an AI ad maker tool, businesses can efficiently produce high-quality advertisements that drive engagement and conversions across various social media platforms.

Personalization on a Large Scale

Personalization has always been important in marketing, and automation is making it possible on a larger scale. By using AI and machine learning, marketers can create tailored experiences for each customer based on their preferences, behaviors, and past interactions with the brand.

This level of personalization not only boosts customer satisfaction but also increases engagement and loyalty. When consumers feel understood and valued, they are more likely to become loyal customers and brand advocates. As automation technology continues to evolve, we can expect personalization to become even more advanced, enabling businesses to forge deeper connections with their audience. As your company has tiny homes for sale California, personalized experiences will ensure each customer finds their perfect fit, fostering lasting connections.

Integration Across Channels

Another trend shaping the future of marketing automation is the integration of multiple channels into a cohesive strategy. Today’s consumers interact with brands across various touchpoints, from social media and email to websites and mobile apps. Marketing automation platforms that can seamlessly integrate these channels and deliver consistent messaging will have a competitive edge. When creating a comparison website it’s important to ensure that the platform effectively aggregates data from diverse sources and presents it in a user-friendly manner, empowering consumers to make informed decisions.

Omni-channel integration not only betters the customer experience but also provides marketers with a comprehensive view of the customer journey. By tracking interactions across channels, businesses can gain valuable insights into how consumers engage with their brand, allowing them to refine their marketing strategies for maximum impact. Lastly, integrating SEO services into omni-channel strategies boosts visibility and helps businesses better understand and engage with their customers across different platforms.

The Human Element

While automation offers many benefits, it’s crucial not to overlook the human aspect of marketing. Despite advances in AI and machine learning, there are still elements of marketing that require human creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.

Successful marketing automation strikes a balance between technology and human expertise. By using automation to handle routine tasks and data analysis, marketers can focus on what they do best – storytelling, building relationships, and driving innovation.

Conclusion

The future of marketing automation looks promising, offering improved efficiency and results for businesses of all sizes.

As AI continues to advance and consumer expectations change, automation will play an increasingly vital role in keeping businesses competitive.

By embracing automation technologies, marketers can simplify processes, deliver more personalized experiences, and ultimately, achieve their business goals more effectively than ever before.