How Online Searches are Changing the Digital World Plus Our Top 5 Tips to Increase Your Visibility with SEO
The digital world is constantly evolving. Search engines are changing social media platforms and social media platforms are changing search engines. But one thing is a given: online searches are powerful. In fact, online searches can help get your content in front of a larger audience, whether that search is done on a traditional search engine like Google or within the search function of a social media platform.
But just how can you take advantage of online searches in your marketing?
And how can you optimize your socials for online searches?
First, let’s take a look at some of the changes that are happening in regards to online searches. Then we’ll take a look at some of our top ideas to help optimize your socials for search.
How Search is Changing the Digital World
Many social media platforms previously allowed for pages or profiles to show up in search results. For many marketers, just having a profile could help increase your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and visibility. Many platforms were also allowing the search of hashtags or keywords within their own platform. But now search capabilities are expanding. Not only can you search on platforms for specific hashtags but many other parts of the content you create on social platforms are searchable. Now it’s not just a social profile showing up in search engine results; results on sites like Google can now bring up specific posts on social platforms in their results! However, it’s key that you optimize your content, but more on that in a moment.
How to Optimize Your Socials for Search
SEO is no longer limited to including metadata in your website to get it to show up in Google searches. It now includes optimizing your socials as well. Here are our top 5 tips to up your SEO game. 
1 | Keyword Research
If you want to know what people are searching online, you need to do your research. Part of SEO is getting keywords, and now key phrases, into your content. Start by using a tool that can help you search for keywords related to your brand. For example, if you are a local ice cream shop, ice cream is certainly a key phrase. However, you might also find in your keyword research that words and phrases like gelato, custard, and ice cream shops near me can also help you boost your visibility in searches. Once you have your top keywords and phrases in hand, it’s time to start optimizing your profiles and your content.
2 | Optimize Your Profiles
Creating your social profile seems like a simple task; however, it is one of the first areas of SEO that many businesses forget about. First, fill out your profile completely; the more complete your profile, the more your page will stand out. Then be sure to use keywords or phrases in your profile, like in your brand’s bio or about section.
3 | Optimize Your Content
There are a few steps to optimizing your content to get the maximum visibility it deserves. So let’s break it down.
- Create original content: Make sure that you have a balance of curated content (content shared from other sources) and original content. Make sure that your original content is valuable and relevant to your audience. Ideally, it should solve a problem they have. Don’t forget to include any relevant keywords or phrases in your copy, if possible.
- It’s all in the name: Make sure that you are using eye-catching images, but don’t just save your image as “01.jpg.” Instead, give your photo a name that means something and ideally should have keywords in it. This helps bring your images up in relevant searches.
- Don’t forget the alt text: Image-based social platforms like Instagram and Pinterest now have alt text. While this function on websites was originally meant to help the vision impaired, it is now also used for SEO purposes. Include relevant keywords or phrases in your alt text to increase your search visibility.
- Utilize hashtags: Don’t dismiss the power of hashtags. They can help broaden your reach and make it easier for content to be found by people who aren’t following you. While hashtags can seem random, there is strategy involved in getting the most out of them. So make sure you are utilizing keywords or phrases and don’t jump on a trending hashtag unless you can make it relevant to your brand. You might also consider creating your own branded hashtag as well.
4 | Post at the Right Time
Posts that get higher engagement get bumped up in the algorithm which in turn boosts your visibility across the platform and on search engines. Make sure that you are researching the best times for posting on all platforms. Your best times may change over time as well, so don’t forget to check in every week or two to make sure you’re still getting your posts out at the best time possible.
5 | Track and Make Changes
As with anything, make sure you are diving into your analytics data. If your socials aren’t doing as well as they could be, make the necessary changes to boost your social presence and your search visibility. Don’t forget that what worked two weeks ago may not work now, so you need to pay attention to the data regularly and make changes when needed.
Break Through
Are you searching for the right marketing firm to help you break through the noise online and meet your marketing goals? Attuned is an invested partner that takes a holistic approach, going beyond what most marketing firms do for their clients. Contact us today to see how Attuned Marketing can help you take on your marketing strategy with a fresh perspective!