Does SEO even matter anymore? This is a question many marketers are debating – whether search engine optimization (SEO) is still important in a time where social media seems to be ruling.

The answer is yes – but businesses now also need to live within their social communities and approach their social media from an SEO perspective.

Let’s look at some of the ways SEO has changed over the years – and what the SEO of now looks like for best results:

Then – Keywords (the specific phrases that people might search for to find your page) are king. Your content can say anything so long as it is stuffed full of your desired keyword.

Now – Search engines like Google have shifted their algorithms so keywords are less important. Quality is now preferred over quantity. Google and similar search engines want to know that you are putting out content that is valuable and that people are actually reading.

Keywords still matter for your SEO ranking, but if your content is saying nothing picking the best keywords won’t help.

Then – People “Googled” answers to problems.

Now – People post questions in social communities to gain insights from others.

It used to be that search engines were where people went for help. But today many will pose their query to their social communities – be it a Facebook group directly tied to the topic, a LinkedIn group, or the community in general (Reddit and Twitter are good examples of this).

So, while it’s important that your content comes up on search engines, it’s equally important that it can be found on social media by people looking for answers to their problems!

Then – Link-building was essential with link directories, blog comments, and similar sites influencing search engine ranking.

Now – A strong social media presence can bolster your link-buildings. Search engines have gotten savvy to “link farms” and are looking for quality outside links. One great way to achieve this is through posting your website links to your social media pages.

Marrying Social Media and SEO

Many businesses do BOTH.

• Content should be optimized for both social media and SEO.
• Content should have an optimized landing point on your website to drive traffic in.
• Content should be reformatted and tagged accordingly for social media.
• Content should include a conversion point or goal with respect to what you want the person to do once they read the content.

SEO isn’t dead – it’s just evolving. And The Purpose Company can help your business grow with it. Contact us today to form a social media and SEO strategy. Call 647-880-9709 or visit www.thepurposecompany.ca.