We all know the importance of Keywords and SEO (search engine optimization) for our websites but have you thought about implementing them in your social media marketing?
That’s right, social media has morphed into its own style of search engine. “An impressive 76% of consumers use social media to search for or discover new products and brands.” (brandwatch.com) So if you want your content to be discovered, you better start optimizing it with keywords.
STEP 1.
Start with creating a list of keywords that you want associated with your brand.
This requires an understanding of the terms your target audience is using by checking out industry groups, forums, conversations and noting any terms/phrases that are frequently used and align with your brand. It’s also important to know how your competitors are using keywords in their posts/hashtags and how well those posts are being interacted with.
To help stay organized, create “keyword buckets” for each vertical market you work with, frequently asked questions you receive, and your product categories to name a few.
This is not a one-and-done step, keep an eye on the pulse so you are continually adapting to current interests.
STEP 2.
Edit your social profiles so they are optimized for search.
Make sure you're integrating keywords organically into your profile and remember that each platform has their own nuances so make sure you’re writing specifically for each.
- FACEBOOK: Page Title, Vanity URL, About, Description
- INSTAGRAM: Name, Handle, Bio, Location
- TIKTOK: Bio
- LINKEDIN: About, Tagline
- X (TWITTER): Handle, Name, Bio
STEP 3.
Lastly, optimize your content so you give each post its best chance to reach further.
Don’t crowd your posts with keywords, incorporate them naturally. You can also add them as hashtags, place them into captions, titles, and video descriptions. As with your profile, each platform has its particularities when it comes to hashtags.
- FACEBOOK: 1-3 relevant, try using within sentences
- INSTAGRAM: 3-5 relevant, include in caption not in a comment
- TIKTOK: 1-3 extremely relevant then mix in some trending
- LINKEDIN: 3-5 relevant, keep them more formal than trendy
- X (TWITTER): 1-2 relevant so you don’t run out of characters
As mentioned in Step 1, this is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Make sure you’re reviewing each post to see how well it’s performing so you can make any needed adjustments for future posts. Also keep an eye on trending keywords and take advantage of those that are relevant to your business.
Mix your new keyword optimization with consistency and quality (limit the buy-buy-buy posts) and you have just improved your social media marketing.
Sources: later.com, plannthat.com, linkedin.com, medium.com, brandwatch.com, sendible.com, blog.hootsuite.com, socialpilot.com