There are no easy ways to be liked by Google and ranked high in search results. Companies are no longer able to push mass keywords and links without being penalized by Google. Nowadays it is all about creating high-quality, authentic and engaging content. If you search for a company on Google the chances that their social media profiles would appear on page one of the search engine results are high. Do your company’s Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn pages show up on the first page of Google? If the answer is no, then your social media profiles are not optimized for SEO.
In this blog article we list six effective ways to optimize your social media profiles and pages to get maximum SEO value and help boost your search results. These tips will also help push down negative search results especially if they cannot be deleted.
1. Stay Consistent with Your Username
Google uses usernames and Twitter handles to find out what the social media page is about. If you go by a different Twitter Handle then your Facebook page username then Google won’t be able to link the two together. It is also important to stay consistent and have Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ username the same as your Twitter Handle to be able to identify even more on what the Twitter page is about.
The following screenshot shows search results that appear on page one of Google when someone searches for “HubSpot” (HubSpot is the inbound marketing and sales platform). This is an excellent example of how companies should use consistent usernames across social media channels.
HubSpot Search Results on Google
2. Use Quality Images
High quality images are visually appealing for users. When uploading your profile or cover photo, make sure you use images with the right dimensions.
One of the SEO factors that would help optimize your social media profile is by naming your photo image file as your Twitter or Facebook page name or your keyword when you save it on your computer. Another effective way to optimize your profile is by adding custom descriptions to your profile and cover images on Facebook. For example, one of Buffer‘s Facebook Page cover photos featured a photo of their new app.
Buffer Facebook Cover Photo
3. Add Your Location
Always put your real location and keep it consistent on Twitter, Facebook and other social media channels, as it is important for Google to track your location while it’s tailoring its search results according to geo location. This is especially important for local search results if applicable.
iRISEmedia Social Media Twitter Profile
4. Link to Website URL and Cross-Link Social Media Profiles
It might be surprising but many businesses forget to add their website URL to their social media profiles. As obvious as it might seem, by adding your website’s URL to your social media profiles you will make it easier for online users to find more information about your company.
This also helps increase web traffic to your website and boost rankings for your social media pages and website. Link your social media pages on other sites such as blogs, SlideShares, and more.
5. Fill Out Descriptions
The importance of a unique and creative company’s description on all social media profiles is often forgotten. Having a brief witty description of your business or brand is going to be your online pitch. Make sure you make the right impression.
Besides this being your moment to introduce your business, it is also a valuable space where you can include your keywords which will help boost search rankings.
6. Consistency
Consistency is crucial in social media marketing. It is not necessary to have the same description on all your social media platforms. For example, Facebook allows short description to be as long as 155 characters while Twitter bios must be less than 160 characters. But make sure the keywords you use are the same throughout all your social media pages since it will help optimize your social media profiles for maximum SEO value.
6 Ways to Optimize Social Media Profiles for SEO
About iRISEmedia
iRISEmedia.com is a Toronto digital marketing and social media marketing agency, specializing in web design, SEO, social media marketing, online PR, and more. Our team helps clients increase their reach and profitability by developing and implementing customized and targeted online and social media marketing strategies. We service clients in Toronto, Ontario, the GTA and throughout Canada as well as globally.
