One of my webinar attendees wrote asking two questions about search engine optimization, blogging and social media:
“I still have the same question, which no one seems to be able to answer. Is posting on Facebook and Linked-In, recognized by Google, the same as blogging? Does either get you better page positioning?”
This is a frequently asked question. Here is my answer:
The answer is no; posting to social media sites is not identical to blogging. Blogging is viewed by Google as a platform to share new content and to position your website as an expert resource for the products and or services the website offers. Since the blog’s content is preferably updated on a frequent and consistent basis, it fulfills the “best practice” for fresh content. Google looks for the semantics of a search. When the user makes a query, Google searches for websites that contain the relevant content the user is looking for. Delivering relevant content via the blog will help Google and the other search engines find your website.
That being said, posting on social media sites (Facebook, Linked In, Google+, Twitter, etc.) is also significant to Google. It increases online visibility for the business’s or organization’s website. Google knows there are over 1 billion Facebook users, and so Facebook’s sheer size can no longer be ignored. Having a company page with a link back to the website and frequent (daily) postings attracting “likes” and comments are advantageous.
While many marketers would love to pin down the exact strength of the online marketing mix as it relates to search engine optimization, it is Google’s mission to have a level playing field and reward those who follow best practices.
For more details to improve your website’s visibility to your prospective market and the search engines, email to Marketing@1st-Straw.com.
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