The Increasing Importance of Social Signals – A Guide to Creating and Harnessing the Power of Social Networks!

In my last post I gave a short overview on social signals and what search engines like Google and Bing look out for, I also briefly commented on the effect these signals can have on your business. After reading more around the subject of social signals it became clear that it is something that every business will have to leverage in order to stay competitive in the world of search engine optimisation in the coming years.  This blog post will aim to guide you through the process of what social signals your business needs to create and what your business can do to harness the power of the social networks.

Jones, (2013) indicates that ‘one of the primary signals that search engines like Google look out for is your engagement on social media such as Google + Local, Facebook and Twitter.  Google now measure the number and quality of the reviews and engagement you receive from your followers to measure your authority for search engine ranking purposes.’ He goes on to say that ‘social signals will become as important if not more important than traditional signals like links and title tags’.

What Do We Need to Create Social Signals?

Jones, (2013) recommends two key areas where your business should have a presence in order to create quality social signals

1.       Create a Google + Local Page

Google + pages are free and have more than 250 million active members. A presence on Google + allows people to review and share your business globally and could prove to be a significant tool for improving your search engine ranking. Below is a comprehensive guide from Jones on how to set up a Google + page.

Helpful Link to Set Up Google + Page -

Click here to read - Page 260 of Jones, (2013), Search Engine Optimization: You’re Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing.

2.       Sign Up To Leading Social Media Networks

The two most important social networks to have a presence on are Facebook and Twitter, when using these sites it is critically important to create good content because it will help engage your audience which will in turn lead to Retweets and Facebook shares. These Retweets and Facebook shares will then be recognised as social signals by search engines like Google and Bing. This will then translate into a positive impact on your websites search engine ranking.

Helpful Links to Set Up Social Pages -

Click here to read - Andrea Vahl’s Eleven Step Guide on How to set Up a Facebook Page for Business.

Click here to read – The Facebook Guide on Create Compelling Content for Your Followers

Click here to read – Twitter’s Guide to Setting up a Business Twitter Account and More!

Harness The Power of Your Social Networks!

Once you have set up your social network accounts it is important to optimise these platforms to create the maximum impact on search engines searching for social signals. Jones, (2013) cites three strategies to optimise your use of social networks;

1.       Acquire Followers with High Klout Scores

One of the best ways to leverage the power of your social networks is to get people with a high number of followers to follow you. Klout is a free service that measures people’s social media influence. Klout provides a score between 1 and 100 to measure a person’s social authority, the higher the score the higher the person’s authority on that particular social platform. Getting these people to follow your content will provide a strong social signal to search engines.

2.       Check Quality and Quantity of Followers

It is important to check the quantity and quality of people who follow you. Followers who do not have a high social influence and do not regularly look at your content should be removed. This can be done through Twitter search. However this check is appropriate for both Twitter and Facebook.

3.       Hire a Dedicated Social Media Manager

The power of social media and its ability to influence your business cannot be underestimated. Social media can not only help your search engine rankings but it can also provide other benefits like a platform for real time support to customers. Having a dedicated social media manager will help to control and improve your use of social media in your business.

References

Jones, (2013), ‘Search Engine Optimization: You’re Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing’ [Online] < http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Olw7uNt2QPcC&pg=PA258&dq=using+social+signals+to+improve+your+business&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o6JrU-SoF-Xe7AaYtYHgBg&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=using%20social%20signals%20to%20improve%20your%20business&f=false > [Accessed 08/05/2014]