Stay Active on Social Media
Matt Cutts is a name that you should know when it comes to search engines. As a member of Google’s search quality team and the most active blogger with public access, the information he supplies on Do’s and Don’ts with websites are invaluable. Recently, his statement regarding social media was, to paraphrase- “If you don’t have it, you’re dead to us (Google).” This statement clearly shows the preference that search engines have to social media. The question is, since this is not content that’s physically located on a website, and in several instances, search engines don’t have access to postings, what’s the point?
Just like I mentioned in my last article, search engine algorithms are ever seeking to mimic human behavior; using numbers and logic to be able to tell what’s ‘good’ from what’s ‘not so good’. The problem is that artificial intelligence, at least now, is not able to compete with human intelligence. To help close that gap, among many, many other avenues, search engines place strong value on social media activity and connectivity.
This logic is driven by the premise that as the inherently social creatures that humans are, connecting on platforms such as these are given a high value. For example, a potential customer is trying to make a determination between two different companies. Assuming that all things being equal in web design, content, and credentials, the deciding factor will be social media. The company that dedicates the time to keep their social media platforms updated with relevant content and outreach to the public will be the one that appears the most relevant.
However, the most important aspect of social media is maintaining customer interest. Maintaining a relationship with a past client is substantially cheaper and more effective for the bottom line than to spend time and effort on acquiring new customers. The best and most effective way to do this is by keeping them in the loop using a platform that they willingly use, most on a daily basis. The benefit of social media is the ability to quickly connect to people in their living rooms and doctor's-office-waiting-areas and theater intermissions on a media platform that they're inviting you in on. Using this platform to maintain that engagement can be invaluable, especially once a following has been built. In 5 minutes, you have the ability to instantaneously reach an audience that has already proved interest in your services with specials, announcements, coupons, and other hooks to drive interest in your brand.
An investment in time to build a social media following has the potential to significantly impact the bottom line for any company willing to put in the time to do it.
Keep up with us at Ink and Link Creative with more useful articles to help you navigate the net; www.inklinkcreative.com
By utilizing these best design practices, you can ensure an ongoing connection with people that are already interested in your brand.
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