social media and search

Back in the “dark ages” of search engine optimization, way back a few years ago, actually, we created content on our websites. We then paid attention to on-page optimization, like optimizing our title tags, our body copy, and we mentioned our keywords in the copy. Linking campaigns were important, and we used to get lots of links from website directories and we did link exchanges. Do you remember that time?

Also, in the “dark ages” of search engine optimization, we used to buy links for the PageRank benefits. We wrote articles and submitted them to article directories. We even started creating “link bait” type of articles and content. The problem was, though, getting that link bait noticed–getting people to link to it.
We are now in the age of the “new social media SEO”.

In this new “social media SEO” age, we still create our content on our site. We still need to be (a little bit) concerned about our on-page optimization. But our links need to be from “authority directories” like Yahoo!, DMOZ, and Best of the Web. We no longer write articles and submit them to “article directories”. Those articles need to be on our own sites. Furthermore, they need to be unique articles and unique content. If you so desire, those articles need to be on industry authority sites, as well.
Put your link bait on your own site so people will link to it. Use the social media sites to “get noticed” and “get linked to”.
Success in social media means that you’ll get noticed in the organic search results. The search engines love fresh, unique content–and they love to find new URLs and links. If your site gets a link on a social media site, it will get noticed and crawled.

Keys to Successful Social Media Marketing
There are several things you can do, but here is a list of what will help you be successful on the social media sites:
– participate on a regular basis
– vote and comment often
– add friends
– put your site in your profile
– social media has niches, submit only to the appropriate sites
– use the social media to “get noticed”
– use social media to get the “marketshare of links”

Market Share of Links
What is the market share of links? Generally, it’s having more links to your site or topic than anyone else. Being the first to have the marketshare of links to your site, to your blog post, or to your article or page on your site will give you an advantage in the organic search results. You will get noticed by humans, you will get noticed by the search engine crawlers, and it’s the humans who have the ability to link to you.

Getting the Market Share of Links
So, how do you get the marketshare of links? Watch your industry closely. Always be on the lookout for newsworthy content. React quickly, post add the content to your site quickly. Quickly submit to the social media sites…then go back and edit, update your content as necessary.

RSS Feed Promotion
And, finally, take advantage of RSS feeds. That’s a no-brainer if you have a blog. But, if you have an ecommerce site you may be able to make a RSS feeds of your product categories using your site’s product names and descriptions.
Generally speaking, promote the RSS feeds that will help you. Take advantage of all RSS feeds that are available. Not only is there an RSS feed on your own site, there are RSS feeds typically available of your social media submissions. Using technorati, there’s also an RSS feed available of those who link to you. Promote the sites, and promote the RSS feeds of those who link to you. And remember, a link to you is more powerful if the page that links to you has more links.