Social Media and SEO are the lifelines of marketers. This is how they make the most out of their content or product(s). However, there are a few big mistakes marketers make when integrating social media and SEO.
SEO and social media can be a powerful combination if integrated properly. It is important to look them as complementary elements to get the most out of both. It can be easy to go wrong with social media. So, create a big picture that is greater than the sum of individual methods.
The impact of SEO and social media mistakes can be adverse, as the word spreads quickly on social channels. Instead of trying to cover up, it is easy to avoid these mistakes.
Here are some common mistakes that marketers make while integrating social media and SEO.
1. Not Optimizing Content For SEO and Social Media
When you think of SEO, terms like “Meta description”, “link building,” “sitemaps,” etc. come to mind. SEO is involved in optimizing the content displayed in SERPs.
You can optimize content for social media sites as well, so when content gets shared, they can be seen in a perfect way. Marketers should not only optimize content for SEO but for social media as well. This will help them expand the audience with better content but also better ranking.
SEE ALSO: The 5 Rules of Social Media Optimization (SMO)
2. Not Having a Proper Promotional Plan
In today’s competitive world, every action you take on a social network should be a part of the promotional plan. Though it sounds complicated, if you take time to create a proper promotional plan, your SEO and social media efforts will naturally flow.
The promotional plan should include objectives and goals, social media / SEO audit, improving the quality of website / social media accounts, getting inspiration from clients and industry leaders, etc. The most important thing to understand while integrating social media with SEO is that it is constantly changing.
3. Not Having Social Sharing Buttons
One of the popular questions I receive is “How do you get traffic for blog posts?” The best way is to have social sharing buttons on your blog or website. However, many marketers make the mistake of not including social share buttons on their blog.
Social share buttons will increase social sharing and user interaction with your website or blog. Remember that having too many social sharing buttons on the site is never a good idea as it creates a crowded and confusing user experience.
4. Not Responding to Comments
This is the most common mistake that most of the marketers make while integrating SEO with social media. They take care of everything in terms of search engine optimization and social media but forget the importance of responding to comments.
Some marketers don’t like to handle comments, suggestions, and complaints. This is not good. Your audience will trust you, if and only if you respond to their comments in a transparent way in the same channel.
SEE ALSO: 10 Cases of Brands Showing Their Customers Love
5. Trying to Do it All Alone
Social media marketing is far more effective if you use it in conjunction with SEO and content marketing. More than 50% of the marketers think that the marketing industry has turned digital, and they can do it all alone. It is always better to build a team of collaborators to define and implement a perfect SEO and social media strategy.
You can even build an in-house team or take help of an agency if you are not able to make most out of your social channels.
6. Not Posting Regularly
This is the worst thing you can do other than zero presence on social media sites: not posting regularly on your blog and social media channels.
Your regular activity on these sites is definitely necessary to become an authority. Social channels can feel more personal than websites and are a great way to get a sense of your personality. Social media frequency is something which every marketer should enjoy experimenting with.
7. Not Being Transparent
Being authentic in social media interactions doesn’t mean that you are transparent. There is a big difference between being transparent and being authentic. Transparency is all about being honest and open in running the business. Whatever you post in your social account will reflect in your business. You need not share every detail about your business, but you should owe up to your mistakes and be honest about who you are.
It is a must to respond to complaints, concerns and questions in a timely manner. As with any social media and SEO strategy, it is important to know what type of identity you want to portray before you are visible online. Transparency is the key to a good relationship with clients.
SEE ALSO: How to Be More Transparent on Social Media
When the marketer refuses to open and be honest with the clients, then it means they are doing nothing or sending the basic reports. Social media is a conduit for making new connections with companies who have a great following and reputation. If you can attract the attention of users, you can greatly increase your target audience.
The bottom line is that you can improve your search rankings by integrating social media and SEO. Digital marketers should avoid the above mistakes for long term success in the world of digital marketing. Promote appropriate content through social media, encourage shares, engage with influencers, and be honest while integrating social media and SEO. You will surely see a great increase in every area of SEO.
Are there any other mistakes marketers make when integrating SEO and social media? Share your thoughts below!
