Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, primarily involves ranking your website and increasing the likelihood of it appearing in the top results of a Google search. While SEO is still a very relevant digital marketing strategy today, we cannot ignore how significant the impact of social media has become when it comes to reaching potential customers.
With a huge chunk of the population having access to social media, these social apps have become one of the best ways to reach any demographic. Social media allows brands to connect with their customers in a more meaningful way—in fact, 91% of business leaders say social media will enable them to understand their customer base better.
Still, you might be thinking: Aren’t SEO and social media management two quite distinctly different facets of the digital marketing space?
Yes, they are! But as social media and consumer patterns evolve, so do our digital marketing strategies. Although the two are different sides of the same coin, there are plenty of opportunities to use each one to support the other.
Let’s go through the many ways your marketing team can optimize social media profiles for search engines and how your SEO practices can also help boost social media metrics.
Source: Image by Joseph Mucira from Pixabay
Search Opportunities: Google vs. Platform Search
Google organizes websites for search results by doing the following:
- Crawling
- Indexing
- Ranking
The search engine’s algorithm then decides where a page appears in search results based on factors such as relevance, quality, keywords, and user experience.
Ranking social media profiles is somewhat of an uncharted territory. For example, if you’re a business, your website is likely to rank higher in a search for your name than your Instagram profile simply because there are fewer opportunities for SEO within a profile.
You can increase your chances of ranking higher by:
- Optimizing information like profile names, bios, descriptions, and posts.
- Creating strong signals like consistent updates, keyword usage, and using backlinks.
- Optimizing names and handles with relevant keywords.
One thing to note is that social signals (e.g., engagement on social media) have no direct, official impact on search results since social media engagement is technically not part of Google’s ranking algorithm (although it does matter for Bing).
So, for example, if you share your brand website on an Instagram post and it goes viral and garners thousands of engagement units, that doesn’t necessarily signal to search engines that they should rank your website higher.
Nevertheless, many marketers have experienced otherwise, and it seems like social signals do have a very real impact on rankings.
Platform Search
Internal platform search functions are an entirely different story. These search functions can vary depending on the platform, but the overall goal is to provide the most engaging and relevant information. Let’s look at some key factors:
- Profile Metadata. Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter emphasize keywords in usernames, bios, and descriptions. Using hashtags and tagging could also influence visibility.
- Content Relevance. Posts and profiles that match user search queries (keywords, hashtags, or topics) will typically appear higher in the results. For example, searching “Digital Marketing” on LinkedIn might prioritize profiles with that phrase in their headline or job title.
- Engagement Metrics. Platforms also generally rank content based on engagement (e.g., views, likes, comments). Profiles with an active community and frequent interactions also tend to rank higher.
- Recency. Some platforms favor the most recent content to keep results fresh and relevant, allowing trends to flourish within each platform.
- Verification and Authority. Verified profiles or accounts with high follower counts often dominate search results due to perceived credibility.
Your brand has the unique opportunity to rank higher in internal search functions on each platform. By optimizing your profile (which we’ll discuss later), you can ensure that your page is one of the first profiles that come up in your niche.
Selecting the Right Platform
Choosing the right social media platforms is critical for optimizing visibility in both search engines like Google and platform-specific searches. Not all platforms serve the same purpose, and your target audience and goals should guide your decisions.
Identify Your Target Audience
Knowing your target audience is crucial in selecting which social media platforms to market your products. For instance, a B2B business might have better results focusing on LinkedIn, while B2C brands may need to focus more on Instagram or TikTok.
Align Platform Features with Your Goals
Video-based platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are great for building brand recognition through visual content. Other platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook can be suitable for direct engagement and ad targeting. You can even use apps like X (formerly Twitter) to address customer concerns.
Each platform has certain features that give it an advantage over others, and making sure you’re selecting options that will provide a net positive effect is a must.
Consider Search Visibility and Features
Brands also need to consider becoming more visible within a specific platform. For example, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest prioritize hashtags, keywords in bios, and geotags, which can enhance discoverability within the platform.
Platform Focus
When your brand is just starting out, it’s crucial not to spread your digital marketing team too thin. You cannot devote limited resources to numerous platforms and expect unrealistic returns. When working with a limited budget, it’s essential to know your audience and focus more on platforms where you know your customer base is present and active.
Optimizing Basic Profile Elements for Search
Creating an enticing social media profile is a core aspect of ensuring your brand reaches more people, whether through search or other means. Making sure your profile is search-friendly enhances your visibility both externally (on search engines) and internally.
Username and Handle
Ensuring you have a consistent username and handle across platforms will help potential customers recognize your brand better and help ensure they find your page regardless of their platform.
For example, if you have a different username on Facebook and Instagram, someone who exclusively uses Instagram may have trouble finding your page.
Where possible, make sure to include relevant keywords in your username, like:
- Geographical location like city or country
- The actual name of your store
- The type of business you are in (e.g., bakery, apparel)
For example, having a username like OrangeBakeryNYC is much better than using something vague like Bakery123.
Profile Name
Your profile name usually appears before your bio but distinctly differs from your username. Make sure to use a descriptive and keyword-rich name in your profile. For example, instead of using ‘John’s Services’ as your name, use ‘John’s Digital Marketing Services.’ instead.
This allows potential customers to see your page when looking up specific services. So, even if they do not know about your brand yet, your page will come up when they search for the services you offer.
Profile Photo or Logo
Since most social media users have become accustomed to visual media, choosing a high-resolution, professional image or logo is a must.
To boost brand recall, a brand should also have a consistent profile picture or logo across all social media platforms.
Bio Section
Your bio is a short section that provides insight into what your business can offer its customers. The bio section should include primary keywords where applicable—ensuring that the keywords are integrated into the text as naturally as possible.
This section is also a good space to highlight your value proposition or unique selling points. For example, ‘Helping startups scale with data-driven marketing strategies.’ This bio tells potential clients what your service can help them with within a few seconds of opening your page.
It sure beats having to browse through numerous posts just to see what your brand is all about.
When writing your bio or about section, remember to keep it concise and engaging to not distract from the primary goal of presenting your value proposition.
Links and Contact Information
Adding links to your website, blog, or other relevant pages can make a significant difference both for your business and for the customer’s user experience.
As a customer, you probably understand the frustration of going to a brand’s social media page hoping to end up in their online store, only to discover that you cannot find the link to their website anywhere!
You should also include accurate contact details such as:
Brancs can then use UTM parameters to track traffic from social profiles in Google Analytics.
Call-to-Action
To encourage potential customers to engage further, all social profiles should include a strong call-to-action somewhere in the bio. CTAs can range from inviting a customer to schedule a consultation to encouraging customers to shop their sales.
Optimizing these elements ensures your profile appears professional and searchable, improving both SEO and user engagement.
Content Optimization for Search Engines and Social Platforms
Optimizing your brand’s content helps increase the likelihood of your posts, images, and videos appearing on Google and internal ‘discover’ pages. This process combines strategic keyword placement, formatting, and consistent engagement to create positive results.
Captions and Descriptions
Captions on posts should be clear, engaging, and include relevant keywords. Using natural language that resonates with your audience also helps, as they will have an easier time reaching your posts when searching for something.
Let’s analyze the differences between these two captions:
Visit Café Artisan for an unparalleled espresso experience. Our premium-grade Arabica beans, ethically sourced and expertly brewed, create an exceptional flavor profile.
Looking for the best coffee in town? Come to Café Artisan! If you’re grabbing a latte on the go or need a nice, cozy spot to work, we’ve got you covered with amazing coffee and free Wi-Fi
Both of these captions have the same goal of inviting customers to a coffee shop but are taking vastly different approaches to the process. None of the two are necessarily bad options, but using one over the other may yield better results if you market to the casual coffee enjoyer.
The first caption can be less effective because it uses overly formal and technical language, which may alienate casual coffee drinkers. It also lacks keywords that people might use in daily searches, such as ‘best coffee near me’ or ‘cafe for studying.’
The second one works better because it uses phrases people commonly use when searching or talking about coffee shops. It also sounds friendly and approachable, thus appealing to a broader audience.
The second caption also features phrases like ‘best coffee in town’ or ‘cozy spot to work,’ which matches what many people want when looking for a coffee shop. Specifying that there is free Wi-Fi also helps customers who are looking for a place to work or study for a few hours.
Hashtags and Keywords
Marketers can also benefit from researching relevant and trending hashtags specific to their niche. Using a mix of high–volume and niche hashtags can do wonders for maximizing reach.
Depending on platform best practices, hashtags can be placed strategically in captions or comments.
Visual Content Optimization
Since most social media sites skew heavily towards visual media, adding descriptive and keyword-rich alt text for images can improve accessibility and searchability.
When it comes to video platforms like YouTube, include keywords in video titles, descriptions, and tags.
Enhance Profile Discoverability
Source: Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Now that we’ve had a primer on curating your profile let’s talk about how you can make your profile discoverable within a social media platform. This step involves leveraging native tools, trends, and community interactions.
Using Platform-Specific Features
Let’s look at a few ways you can utilize platform-specific examples:
- Instagram: Utilize Highlights for evergreen content and optimize Story titles with keywords.
- LinkedIn: Use a keyword-rich headline, optimize the “About” section, and showcase relevant skills.
- YouTube: Create engaging thumbnails and make sure all videos are tagged with relevant keywords.
User Engagement Strategies
Engaging with your user base is also a good way to increase visibility. For example, promptly responding to comments and messages helps foster a sense of community within your customers.
Collaborating with influencers and other brands within a relevant niche can also help expand your reach by allowing your brand to showcase its products to an expanded audience.
Using social media monitoring tools can help marketers track audience engagement, analyze trends, and optimize their profiles for search engines and platform-specific discoverability. These tools are essential for understanding audience behavior and ensuring that your content performs effectively across various social platforms.
Geotags and Local Discoverability
Local geotags, such as brick-and-mortar stores, are especially helpful for businesses within a specific city.
Encouraging users to use geotags and tag your account when they post about your services can also help with brand awareness in your specific market.
By optimizing your content and making full use of discoverability tools, you can maximize your reach and engagement across search engines like Google as well as on social platforms.
Final Thoughts on Optimizing Social Media Profiles
Growing your brand through social media can undoubtedly be challenging! Depending on the market you’re operating in, there can be serious competition, and it can be challenging to stand out amidst the noise.
Utilizing SEO and social media management can create synergy within your marketing efforts and help increase brand awareness. By optimizing your social media profiles, you can help potential customers find your brand more easily and connect with you through social media.
