We’ve been talking a lot about search engine optimization (SEO) these past few weeks and all that entails. You now know some important SEO terms, you’ve sworn to obey the 10 Commandments of SEO, and you know why a white hat is better than a black one! But SEO doesn’t just happen on the website. SEO is a social beast, as well.

Despite the social media marketing revolution that has been raging these past several years, many folks, particularly those in the aging care industry, still shy away from marketing their businesses on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest (to name a few). On one level, it’s easy to understand the hesitation. There are so many social media sites; who has the time to keep up with them all? But the SEO benefits of social media marketing definitely outweigh the negatives.

Social SEO, meaning the posts you create on social media sites, plays an important role in how your website ranks in a Google search. So how do you work your social media posts to your advantage?

1. Brand your posts. Using your brand name in posts from time to time allows Google to associate your brand with certain keyword in your posts. For example, a post that reads “Virginia Home Healthcare loves providing elder care to the seniors of Fairfax County!” includes the brand name (Virginia Home Healthcare) along with some important keywords that that brand would want to be associated with (elder care, seniors, Fairfax County).
2. Link to your social accounts from your website. It’s hard to find a website these days that doesn’t include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. icons on them somewhere. And there’s a reason! Whenever Google’s spiders crawl your website, they will notice any social links and immediately associate those social profiles with your company. Posts coming from those accounts will be attributed to your site and help you rank for specific keywords showing up frequently in posts.
3. Don’t forget Google+. Never ignore something developed by Google; in this case, their social network, Google+. While it may not have the cache of loyal followers that Facebook has, Google consistently rewards businesses that are active on Google+ with higher search engine rankings. (Hey, they run the Internet after all.)
4. Keep at it. Sadly, like SEO, social media isn’t a one-time, immediately rewarding trick. (Wouldn’t that be nice, though?) It’s an exercise in trial and error and persistence. Post consistently, take a look at what posts are getting the best responses, and develop a plan around what works.

Speaking of a Plan…

Diving into social media headfirst isn’t necessarily the best way to get results. Remember those SEO keywords we’ve talked so much about? Planning your posts in a weekly or monthly social media calendar can help give your posts the traction they need out there in the great big Google. Determine what keywords you want associated with your business. Do most people find you by searching for “home care software” or “elder care Louisville”? Make sure you’re including these important keywords and phrases when you post. (Not every post needs to be stuffed with keywords, mind you, but get them in there from time to time as organically as possible.)

Need some planning help developing a clear monthly process and strategy that is geared towards getting the best results for your social media efforts? The aging care marketing experts at corecubed have revealed their secrets to home care social media success in the Social Media Planning Guide. This product contains guided spreadsheets for planning and measuring success for monthly blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, along with social media tips to help you get the most out of each post! We’d love to discuss social media with you more. Contact us to get some social SEO results.