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Whether you or I like it or not, social media is inching it’s way further in importance. The idea of social media isn’t anything new, but recent events have set into motion what could be heavy game changers for all developers. I’m of course referring to Google and Bing’s deal with Twitter and Facebook. While we don’t know yet what Google plans to do with these partnerships, Bing has provided a big hint as to what their plans for Twitter are.
For many developers, these changes in the landscape will be difficult to navigate, as social media is a completely different entity than SEO. We might still have a while to fully see how these two worlds will blend together, however it doesn’t mean you should be inactive in your approach. Always plan ahead and be prepared for the future.
What Twitter and Facebook provide is something that’s been elusive to search engines in the past — real time search results. If you’re going online to find news on something just dropping, Twitter and Facebook are your best bets for results – not Google, Yahoo, or Bing. You better believe this is something that scares these companies. Hence the deal Google and Microsoft have made.
Ok, so we know social media isn’t going anywhere and we can’t just sweep it under the rug. What’s the course of action from here on out? I think if you stop and think about it, much of the success you find with social media stems from the core values of SEO. It’s just not quite as formulaic and based in algorithms.
First, relevancy is the key and where as a developer, you’ll feel most comfortable. Providing relevant content in a social media campaign should be your #1 factor and focus moving forward. Most developers have a niche website, therefore relevancy isn’t a tough nut to crack. However, the trick is making sure the people interested in your niche are finding your content. This leads into the next important aspect…
‘The People Factor’, here is where many developers begin to worry and many large corporations are right along side. Unlike algorithms and formulas, people are erratic and more times than not will surprise you with certain responses. So how are you supposed to devise a strategy when dealing with such an illogical factor as people? As Captain Kirk would tell Spock, sometimes you have to throw logic out the window. Ok, maybe not quite that far.
The real key is surrounding yourself with quality users who are going to support your content. This is most vital when you’re first starting a social media campaign. As the old saying goes, “first impressions are always the most important”. If you have a core group of followers who support your content and rally for it’s success, you’ve just found a boom in advertising and many times conversion.
The most important thing to remember is not to completely devote your time to only SEO, or only social media. If the collaborations of the search engines and social media sites are any kind of barometer we’re going to be looking at a hybrid based environment. Where the lines of SEO and social media will be so blurred we won’t where one ends and one begins. This is why it’s so vital to be proactive now. When the necessity of change comes along in the future, you’ll be ready for it.
Topics: SEO, Social Media, Web Development
