MAKE SOCIAL SPARKLE
POST WITH POLISH
Social = Sharable. To date, social media does not do much to help the gold standard of organic search either internationally or domestically. Social can, however, help your local search rankings. In my view, Social Media is the icing on the cake. It's not the cake. Blog posts and other rich content have better ROI than flurries of social activity.
THE IMPERATIVE TO BLOG
Blogging = 25% of Google’s Algorithm. Seriously, the Google algorithm currently makes frequency-of-publishing about 25% of your total quality score. For most companies, this means you’ll want to blog as a stalwart of your content strategy. It demonstrates authority, builds audience and serves organic search.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social = Sharing + Amplification. I have already confessed that social signals only help local search. If it melts as fast as snowflakes, why do social at all? Mostly, you do social because customers expect it and also to help buyers find your content. Social creates a two-way connection with customers that is central to sales and messaging. Great social drives confidence, conversation and conversion. Some businesses may need it for business intelligence and risk management.
In MBA school, I learned that you’re either differentiated or you’re a commodity. Social is a good way to take something that is a standard, like bookkeeping, and make it something extra in the minds of those who are actively looking for a bookkeeper. Social is also a great way for those who are good at communicating to shine (even without me). And, there are those occasional stories about a big, new customer who used hashtags to identify a new vendor. Not being social means some opportunities may not come your way.
Larger customers will want to ask about structured data for social, like Twitter Cards, the Facebook Open Graph and Pinterest Rich Pins. These are great ways to make your promotions much more visible.
The value of online PR efforts waxes and wanes according to the Google algorithm, which currently, still utilizes press releases as a quality signal (after two years of not doing so). That said, links from an established, high-traffic media outlet, which is recognized as an authority on your industry, still brings big gains. PR builds brand, supports content, drives rank and generates leads. In my last real job, I introduced the company to 100 million US households via unpaid, editorial coverage. Maybe I can help you too.