Google has undergone countless changes and updates to its mysterious algorithm(s) over the years. Long gone are the days when a few well-placed keywords would get you reasonable results in the rankings! Some would even try various ‘black hat’ methods to try and cheat their to the top and needless to say, Google had to find many and more accurate methods of measuring the importance and the crucially the relevance of websites in its index.
In comes Social Media.
Since anyone could potentially ‘cheat’ their way up the rankings, by paying for links, using clever keyword and content techniques, Social Media has been a perfect ally to Google. After all – it’s extremely difficult to fake public interest and social activity!
Whilst countless SEO agencies and online articles will give you best practice ideas and information about what to do, (which is still vital), this is all too easy. How much more so will Google pay attention, when you suddenly drum up hundreds or thousands of Twitter followers and Facebook fans?!
Are you still relevant?
Search engines are finely-tuned to look out for trends and attempt to put a picture together of how relevant you are to the public. If only a few people come to your website, you have 3 Twitter followers and 2 likes on your Facebook page… do you look popular? Popularity often comes with reputation and can take a long time to build. Google knows there is ‘no smoke without fire’, so if your website is hot with activity, then you are clearly of some relevance to the public.
Keep up the social media activity and help to build the bigger picture – that you are reputable, popular and busy and lots of people are talking about you. In time, Google will doubt award you your well-deserved brownie points and push you a up in the SERPs (search engine results pages) a few more places!