Social Media Effects Google Search

I really enjoyed this article. Very easy read and really covers the basics on how Social Media is effecting online search engines - which ultimately effects you! How YOU drive traffic to your site. How YOU can get top placement in Google search results and other search engines.

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When people talk about the ways social media has changed the business world, the most common response is the way it has changed marketing and advertising campaigns. No longer is it 'enough' to have TV and print advertisements. 


**To be effective, being part of the social media environment is becoming almost mandatory.

Still, one area that social media is slowly becoming more and more relevant in are search results.

Gone are the days of simplicity and in are 'social circles.' If someone within your social circle has written something about what you are searching for, it will most likely show up as one of your results on Google.

What The Future Holds In Social Media

While Google 'results from people within your social circle' are still in BETA, it's only a matter of time before social circles become a permanent part of search results. To some, this is an amazing integration between social media and search engine's, but the signs were there that it was inevitable that the two would eventually cross.

One of the aspects of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook that scares search engines like Bing and Google is the amount of content that is generated on these platforms.

The advantage of these social media platforms lies in the fresh content that is constantly being updated and added, all of which search engines are trying to get a piece of.

Why Your Social Circle Is On The First Page Of Google Results

For companies and organizations that spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on search engine optimization [SEO], being on the first page for relevant keywords is as good as it gets. By being on the first page, you significantly increase your traffic opportunities. But what does it mean to be on the first page of results?

Google for example doesn't put just any website on their first page of results. They put websites that are relevant and also ones that are trustworthy.

In the same regards, your social circle now shows up on the first page of results because of the trust factor. Even though I may not have more traffic than ESPN, if I wrote an article about the Lakers and my friend is searching for them, I will show up on the first page along side ESPN. Yes, I am relevant to what he is searching, but more importantly he trusts me.

While Google and other search engines have their own secret algorithm to determine how you appear on search results, social media is changing that. How they take into account your social circle will change the way that companies not only approach search engine optimization, but also change the way they become part of your 'social circle.'

Joseph is the Director of Marketing at Viralogy.com & works in social media & sports consulting. Read more about him at http://JosephAYi.com

What is Social Media About?

Social Media is about, sharing and interacting online.

It's about giving value, being social and communicating with everybody who crosses your path through the Internet. Social media is about the people - it's about community building. It gives them a voice and grants them the power to change things and make decisions that can affect your company and brand, either in a profitable or harmful way.

In Social Media, communication is a two-way street, where public and brands interact, storing and distributing content created by all different natures. Social media's content allows you to take part, collaborate and distribute information to all.  Social Media strengthens the emotional ties that bind people together, creating fans instead of customers.

Social Media isn't ONLY about creating and sharing content. The best experiences you can achieve with Social Media is by listening, reading, discussing, blogging, commenting, and/or giving feedback to the community.

In short, social media is about building an effective communication channel between brands and their environment, helping them to merge a strategy in each social working area.

Why Social Media?

Using Social Media in business is today's reality in which today's environment demands. We're tired, we need change, we need to have fun, but above all we need brands to be authentic, reliable and truly inspiring. We live in an over-communicated society, where tones of messages try to gain a little of space in our minds, but now the wheel has changed hands. Those traditional advertising methods "I communicate - you receive" are no longer valid, that's water under the bridge. 

Social media allows companies to listen, understand and offer content that best meets their needs.

Advantages of using Social Media:

- Tapping into the younger audience to make it easier to predict trends
- Strengthens relationships between customers and brands
- Builds trust and loyalty, turning a customer into a fan
- Differs from other media reaching the audience in a less intrusive way
- Connects the brand with the immediate environment making your brand seem sociable, familiar and popular
- Goes viral: the brand will reach more people in less time.
- Increasing social media efforts raises the level of brand awareness online
- Social media is trustworthy and an efficient reasearch tool

Related Article: What is Social Media?