Social Signals continue to become important Google ranking factors and Google is using them more to rank your website. As you continue to build and improve your rankings, it is very important that you include social signals in your search engine optimization strategy so that you can benefit and rank better than your competitors. So, what are social signals?
What are Social Signals? Search engines consider a social signal to be when your website has activity in any of the top social media networks. This activity could be when your Facebook page is liked, a link to your website is tweeted, a post is plus one-d in Google +, pages and posts on your website get plus one-d, liked, tweeted, and any other mentions you get on the web using any of the popular social sharing options available.
Why are Social Signals becoming important ranking factors? The goal of search engines is to provide fast and relevant results to their customers. Otherwise, the customers will stop using the search engines if they cannot find what they are looking for. To achieve this goal, search engines use many factors in their algorithms to be able to provide the results the customers are looking for. The job of all these ranking factors is to rank the results for the customer according to the relevance and importance of the source providing what they want.
Social signals are becoming important ranking factors because to search engines if your website and your content was tweeted, liked, plus one-d, etc. then it means that people approve what you are providing them. This like, tweet, and plus one then becomes like a vote that tells search engines that your website provides the relevant information customers are looking for. Also, depending on how many “votes” you are getting search engines will know how important your website is.
How do Social Signals affect my website? If your website is sending social signals to search engines then it will help you rank better. If you currently do not have any social signals then it will not hurt your website that much since social signals are not the most important ranking factor. However, they are becoming more important so it is best that you start showing search engines that you do have social signals. You want to get these “votes” so that search engines will rank your website at the top because they will know you are relevant and the “votes” prove you are important.
What can I do to start showing Search Engines I have Social Signals? Create profiles and pages on the top social media websites and start engaging within the platforms. Also, on your website, make sure to add social sharing buttons in your content to make it easy for your customers to “vote” for your website. Check out tools like Add This or Share This that will allow you to add code within your website that displays the top social media sharing buttons.
How do Social Signals Affect my Affiliate Program? To have a successful affiliate program or get sales online, your website or product needs to be found easily. If your customers cannot find you easily because you are not ranking then your sales and your affiliate program will not be where you want them to be. Having a great search engine optimization strategy will not only help you increase your sales, but also make your affiliate program successful.
Can my Affiliate Program help with Social Signals? Yes, it can. An affiliate program always helps you market better because you are teaming up with other online marketers to help increase the awareness of your website. These affiliates, partners, or online marketers will be using the best strategies to help promote your website and these will include social media marketing. If you have your website ready for social sharing, then it becomes easier for customers to “vote” for you if they like what you have to offer. This way all your SEO effort and your affiliates efforts will not go to waste.
Start working on getting social signals for your website if this has not been part of your strategy. If you have, continue working on it and also get the latest news from online marketing experts on how social signals continue to become important ranking factors.
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