It has been observed that 90 percent of people look for products and services on the internet using search engines like Google, Yahoo!, or Bing. And, it is interesting to note that 75 percent of these users have social media profiles. These people might be on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, or YouTube. This is where the significance of SEO and SMO packages comes into role.
Both SEO (Search Engine Optimization), as well as SMO (Social Media Optimization) are crucial for improving a company's brand image and online presence.
Social engagement possessed by social media, can create successfully making sales and getting business leads.
SMO, Generating Traffic from Online Social Activities
Social Media Optimization refers to the use of a number of social media to generate publicity, and increase the awareness of a product, brand or event. Types of social media involved include RSS feeds, social news and bookmarking sites, as well as social networking sites, video and blogging sites. SMO is similar to SEO in that the goal is to generate traffic and awareness for a website. SMO refers to optimizing a website and its content in terms of sharing across social media and networking sites.
As search engines are increasingly taking the recommendations of users on social networks to rank pages in the search engine result pages (SERPs). The implication is that when a webpage is shared or "liked" by a user on a social network, it counts as a "vote" for that webpage's quality. Thus, search engines can use such votes accordingly to properly rank websites in search engine results pages. Since then, search engines are putting more effort into social search.
While SMO is related to search engine marketing (SEM), it differs in several ways. SMO focuses on driving traffic from sources other than search engines, though improved search ranking is also a benefit of successful social media optimization.
Social media optimization is in many ways connected to the technique of viral marketing where word of mouth is created through the use of networking.
Implementing and Optimizing
When it comes to search engine optimization, it makes a company's products or services visible to search engines. On the other hand, social media makes marketing or promotional campaign human and user-oriented. Since it is not possible to ignore any of these, businesses are required to maintain a balance between search engine results pages and individual internet users.
The effectiveness of SEO and SMO differs in respect of time. As far as social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are concerned, they can bring a website a huge volume of traffic within a matter of a week, after it has been launched. On the contrary, search engine optimization will take at least take months to produce positive results.
Though it may take some amount of time to show positive results, SMO that also has relationship with social SEO link building, is beneficial for a product or service related website in the long-term. In the future, it will bear results in respect of quality traffic and conversions.
To make search engine optimization and social networking efforts effective, businesses can acquire professional services within the company, out outsource it to those who have experience in the field. Only, then businesses can experience the desired outcomes. Though it is important to note that implementation of SEO campaigns will cost more than that of social media. Businesses are required to implement both of these.
When both SEO and SMO packages are used, it helps in producing results quickly and with less effort.