Ever wondered of how to Utilise Social Media for Keyword Research? For many beginners (as well as some mid-level and even advanced SEOs), the line between search engine optimisation and social media can oftentimes blur:
- Does your social media support or even assist your search engine rankings?
- How does optimising for search on social media influence your profile’s chance of showing up to new users?
- What does it mean that your tweets show up in search results?
In the past, the difference between SEO versus social was fairly stark. When people performed searches on Google, or another search engine, they were actively looking for answers or solutions to their questions. However, when scrolling through social, any post that your business adds is potentially merely passively reaching users. It’s something presented to them as they’re already doing anything else that they came to that platform to do.
Running a digital business
It’s one thing to run a digitally-orientated online business in a world where technology has become the entrance tool to achieve corporate success and keep up with the times. Part of digital marketing is not how well you’re able to convey your brand’s message and turn it into a sale, but rather allowing your brand to find solutions to problems for an audience that is consistently on the search for need gratification. By including keywords into marketing content, websites and other online content has a great chance of being seen and engaged with. Here’s how to use social media to research keywords:
1. Choose the type of keywords you’re looking for.
From, “What to do if my dog has chewed off its collar,” to “How much is a good hair product,” Google is known as the place where people have their questions answered in the shortest time. We’re sure you’ve already Googled your brand a million times, possibly even to see where your website ranks for specific services you offer. Social Media platforms – for example Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the likes – also offer ways to strategize your keywords, but it involves first defining the specific keyword category you’re looking to hone in on. Depending on what your company does and the type of audience it has, it’s important to be specific and intentional with what you’re looking for so that your social media marketing becomes highly effective. For instance, if you would like to know what products specific to your industry people need the most, you could monitor second-hand social groups or community information pages.
2. Remember to consider SEO when choosing keywords.
Useful keywords pertaining to your specific business industry make it possible for your website to rank high in terms of SEO, crediting a wider audience reach for your brand. However, it is crucial to note keyword researching is not a ‘one size fits all’ concept. Depending on your outcome, your keyword searching tends to be more defined and tailored for what is suited for the business. In other words, the business has to take behavioral differences across digital platforms as its biggest consideration. Audiences do not use Facebook and Google the same way, as queries types into the search bars and on feeds will differ. Additionally, this is where we see the differences between Query vs. Conversation, what an audience is looking for may not necessarily be a solution to a problem, but rather a stimulating conversation surrounding that problem with other social media users.
Examining your brand’s term usage on the specific platforms it uses leaves you ahead of the game, but most importantly at a heightened level of digitally awareness. There is no manual that gives you the best keywords to use for your marketing activities. However, your audiences could offer more insight than you might think possible.
