It’s amazing how many bloggers do not include social media as part of their strategy. The popularity of social media continues to grow and is likely to do so well into the future. Therefore, not using it is keeping you from recognizing your true potential.
It’s also widely believed through testing that search engines are incorporating social media signals into their algorithms. That means when someone searches for something, the search engines will factor what kind of influence social media has on that search term. It’s important to become aligned with what you are targeting with these signals.
On the flip side, do not rely solely on the impact of social media. It should be a part of your strategy but should not be the entire focus. Share because you believe your followers will appreciate what you shared, not because you think it will sell. That’s an important distinction, and you need to keep that in mind whenever you share on social media. People don’t like to be sold to, especially on your Facebook timeline.
If you don’t believe me, think about the last time a friend started promoting his or her wares on Facebook. Chances are good, they received plenty of unfriend requests. You may have been one who takes that action yourself. Instead, create an environment of sharing useful information.
When you share, don’t be afraid to use other people’s content. Your friends will find it useful, and the people whose content you are sharing will appreciate you for it. They will be much more willing to share your content in exchange. It also gives you plenty of publishing power in case you run out of ideas on what to share. Find content that has a minimum of promotional information.
While sharing other peoples’ content is important, don’t forget to share your own. The point is, you want people to click on the links within your social shares. This will take them to your website and will garner the attention of search engines. This, in turn, should increase your ranking with those search engines.
Social media is a long-term strategy, and you need to keep with it to see any benefits. It will probably take much longer than anticipated which means it will seem like it’s not working early on. You have to believe that it will make a difference and keep with it. When it does take off, it can flood your website with high-quality traffic.
