A Match Made in Digital Heaven
In the whirlwind of B2B marketing, the lovechild of SEO and social media optimisation (SMO) has become the superstar no one can ignore. Picture this: SEO is your nerdy yet brilliant strategist, quietly ensuring your brand shows up when prospects are Googling. Meanwhile, SMO is the party-starter, getting people talking and sharing your content across LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok (yes, even TikTok for B2B – who knew?) and beyond. So, why does this duo work so well together? Because they complement each other like an umbrella and a rainy day in Manchester – SEO brings in traffic, and social media gets people chatting, liking and, most importantly, sharing.SEO: Still The Steady Performer, But With New Moves
Ah, SEO. It’s been around for a while, but don’t think for a second, it’s gone stale. In 2024, SEO is all about adapting to AI-driven search engines, voice search, and mobile-first indexing. No longer can you just stuff a few keywords into a blog and call it a day. Google’s algorithms have evolved prioritising user experience, fast load times, and relevant, rich content. If you’re not optimising for voice search and conversational queries yet, now’s the time. With more people shouting “Hey Google, where can I find the best EV corporate vehicle hire?” into their phones, businesses that tailor content to these long-tail, natural-sounding phrases are going to scoop up the traffic. And don’t forget the basics! Good ol’ on-page SEO still works wonders: optimise headings, meta descriptions, and include keywords, but do it smartly. And when it comes to backlinks? Quality over quantity – gone are the days of spammy links from dubious blogs. It’s all about getting mentions from authoritative sources in your industry.
SEO + SMO: The Magical Digital Partnership
Here’s where the magic happens: combining SEO and SMO. Let’s say you’ve just published a cracking blog post optimised for SEO. Great. Now, take that piece, pull out the juiciest insights, and share them across your social channels. Engage your followers by asking their opinions, creating a poll, or sharing a video snippet that ties into the blog. Not only does this boost your social engagement, but it also drives traffic back to your site, which helps with off-page SEOIt’s a win-win.
What’s even better? Social shares and backlinks from authoritative sources can tell Google, “Hey, this content is popular,” which can help improve your organic rankings.See how this comes full circle? When SEO and SMO work together, it’s like a digital power couple that just keeps getting stronger.
Best Practices for 2024: Ready, Set, Optimise!
So, how do you make the most of this dynamic duo? Here are a few tips to keep you ahead of the game: Repurpose Your Content:Don’t let your content sit in one place. Use a blog post to create multiple social media snippets, infographics, or even a quick video.
Focus on Engagement:
Whether it’s SEO or social media, getting users to interact with your content is gold. Longer dwell times and lower bounce rates are indicators that search engines love.
Be Consistent: Keep your content fresh and relevant. Regularly update your website, publish blogs, and stay active on social platforms. Both SEO and SMO require you to show up consistently.
Leverage Data: Use analytics tools to track which content is working, both on search engines and social media. Adjust your strategies based on what your audience engages with the most.
Leverage Data: Use analytics tools to track which content is working, both on search engines and social media. Adjust your strategies based on what your audience engages with the most.
Alex Bandaranaike
Client Services Director
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