Gone are those days when all that webmasters had to do was build links, create text content with keywords cleverly intermingled into the body and let it off in the internet to get a favorable SERP (Search Engine Result Page). It could have continued that way, but the bad boys saw loopholes after loopholes and started exploiting them to the hilt. The end result was that the internet particularly the blgosphere filled with low quality and duplicate content that is created just for making quick bucks. The tackle this problem, search engine companies, most importantly, Google and Bing started improving their algorithms. The result of these algorithm changes resulted in massive ranking changes in SERP.
Search Engine Business Model and Importance of Quality Content
Search engines are business models into which investors have thrown in billions of dollars expecting a fair return on their investments. To make profits search engines need patronage on a large scale and their immediate source of money is advertisers. Advertisers in turn need great content so that they can show their advertisements along and that only search engines can ensure. That is the reason why search engines keep flogging websites to come up new content on a daily basis or face extinction.
- Related Article: Google Penguin Update and An SEO Recovery Checklist
Search engines really have no control on contents and that is absolute. But, the power they exude flows from the fact that without them websites stands little chance of being visible on the internet due to their sheer numbers. This the search engines exploit to the hilt and place conditions after conditions, so much so, that today, what you read is written more with search engines in mind rather than humans. To maintain quality, search engines can hypothetically consider using human editors to evaluate content and rank them, but cost and other expenses inhibit them. The next best is what they use presently – machines. But, machines, remember, are simple dumb creatures that cannot see beyond group of words we call keywords.
SEO and Social Media Branding
Aiming to be seen on the top of search engine result pages is an expensive affair. It means creating voluminous contents, getting links from quality websites, and generally remaining active over the internet on a daily basis, which is not practical for most websites, considering that most have a limited budget. But, not everything is lost if you can tap the social media to get visitors. It is easier here; to be seen and be discussed. When your website is in the social media limelight, the possibilities of getting a better ranking in search engines too goes up considerably. However, don’t forget that social media is again a crowded place and you will need to adhere to certain practices.
- Related Article: SEO and Influence of Social Media Signals on Search Rankings
When your websites in social media are visible, search engines take a cue and place you better on their result pages, as a result of which, you can expect better SERP, and what’s more, you get an audience already conditioned to your brands and products. Hence all this hue and cry over social media. Though social media has been on high decibel for quite some time, there are still many marketers without the least inkling as to how they can deploy it to promote their business. Each social media has its own demographics and reach. Here is a guide that will show you two well known social media and some information about them.
Facebook: Social Media Marketing via Fan Pages
If you are not into Facebook already, then you have been missing something all these years. Facebook is estimated to have an approximate audience of well over 800 millions spread across different demographics and both genders. The average education and intelligence level of its users is what makes it one of the most preferred places to begin your social media quest. Getting into Facebook is not really a great task; the procedures are fairly simple, transparent and free.
- Related Article: Top 10 SEO Marketing Tips for Your Facebook Business Page
The first step is creating a Fan Page for a successful sojourn into the world of Facebook. It is also going to be the central focus of your brands, products and every announcements you want the world to know about. Here again is the place where you can place images, videos and even announce a contest. Ideally, as a marketing company, you can use Fan Page to launch your latest products, but that need not be your only purpose. You can as well use it in any innovative way. Add a Like Button to your Fan Page and you will have generated leads that you can follow.
As with most social media platforms, Facebook has a set of rules you need to follow diligently. Overstepping the limits or misusing the system can result in your accounts being closed. Read the social media terms and conditions of service before you take the plunge.
Twitter: Brand Your Site
Twitter is a little different kind of social media. If you thought that getting leads is a cakewalk then you are mistaken. It is more about being seen and discussed in as little words as possible. Like most social media, Twitter too is a free to use service.
- Related Article: Importance of Blog Promotion On Twitter
But, the more important point to tweeting is, you can measure your rate of success in a transparent way. Twitter is not without its own set of rules. Here are some Dos and Don’ts that set it apart from other social media site.
- The first step you need to take is creating a Twitter Page and then customizing it to your needs. Since this is the page that the public will see, pay attention to its look and design.
- Word your tweets in such a way that there is little that others may not want to change. The very thought that they need to be changed can be a turnoff when re-tweeting.
- Keep tweeting the same material again and again even as you refer to the same blog. But text, remember must change as often as you can.
- The key to successful tweeting is creating catchy phrases and giving great ideas in as few words as you. After all that is the essence of Twitter, don’t forget.
- Since you may want lots of tweets, it is best to tap your employees for tweet resources. Encourage them to do it as often as they can.
- Remember that Twitter is a place where your customers will be airing their views and concerns in a big way and many watching them. So answer every tweet and remove their concern.
- Never ever link your tweets to biased blogs, even if they are yours. Likewise, don’t use the forum rather directly for talking about your products. Keep everything subtle and wean them rather than forcing anything on the readers.
Before you go, subscribe to get latest technology articles right in your mailbox!.