The impact of SEO and social media marketing as part of effective digital marketing strategies is perhaps the most discussed topic in the marketing industry. Especially, because most industries become highly competitive and saturated. So, business owners are trying to survive and gain an edge over their competitors. Therefore, they have turned to seek help from their digital marketing campaigns.
In fact, plenty of business owners, web-marketing strategists, and other key players of the industry ponder about the role of social media and SEO in digital marketing. For this reason, it is important for you to question how these two tools can contribute towards your business’s success, on and off the Internet.
Now, wondering which of the two – SEO or social media – can best benefit your business?
Consider the following facts:
· First, over 4.6 billion people in the world have access to the Internet (Statista, Jan. 2021)
· Second, as per Internet Live Stats, over 3.5 billion searches per day are made on Google. In other words, it is the most popular search engines (2019)
· Third, the total number of users on social media is around 3.6 billion in 2021. And, it might reach 4.41 billion by 2025
In truth, as the aforementioned stats indicate, none of the two is better than the other. In fact, both are equally important to the digital marketing process.
With this in mind, read on to understand how the two can impact the online presence of a business.
What is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing certain areas of your website to boost the quantity and quality of web-generated traffic to your website. And, it does so by improving its ranking on search engine results.
In today’s day and age, we rely heavily on search engine results to connect us with businesses. Specifically, SEO makes a business’ website easy to comprehend for users and search engines. And, it helps the business appear in the first few search engine results. Also, remember: Google aims to deliver the most relevant results for each customer. So, you want your website to come up when your ideal customer is looking for you. Then, use the power of SEO!
Challenges in Using SEO:
· First, it can sometimes take some businesses years before they achieve a good Return on Investment (ROI) with SEO. Especially, if you or your agency aren’t up to date with best practice.
· Second, your goal when using SEO is to secure your first place in search engine rankings. But, there are updates every single day. So, it’s not a set and forget task.
· Third, perhaps the most impactful drawback of SEO is the fact that so many dodgy agencies have tarnished the entire industry.
Pros of Using SEO:
· To begin with, the first ranking website on Google search engine results has a 34.36% click-through rate. (Advanced Web Ranking, 2015).
· And, with an effective SEO strategy in place, your business receives a continuous flow of targeted traffic. Most important, the traffic comes from search queries that are relevant to your business.
· In addition, most Internet users utilise search engines to look for an immediate solution to a problem at hand. In other words, when your website appears in the first few search engine results, your business can become the answer to someone’s prayer.
· Finally, organic traffic generation through SEO carries the highest chances of successfully converting into customers.
What is Social Media?
The term social media indicates a collection of platforms and channels that enable the user to create and share content. And, they enable the user to participate in social networking over the Internet.
So, you’re looking to see how social media can benefit your business? Below, are some pros and cons of social media as a marketing strategy.
Cons of Using Social Media:
· First, your business’ online presence almost disappears if you stop posting on social media.
· Moreover, if the firm that handles a certain social media platform makes any changes in the algorithm, it can affect the success of your business.
· Furthermore, it can be difficult to monitor your ROI with social media as your digital marketing tool.
Pros of Using Social Media:
· However, social media allows businesses to directly communicate with their audience and build long-term relationships. In addition, using social media to market your business does not require a set budget and can be achieved with minimal costs.
· Besides, share content relevant to your industry and your business will establish itself as a leader in the industry. And, this is a great way to stand out from your competitors.
· Next, people are more likely to conduct sales with businesses that they follow on social media platforms. In fact, as per Yahoo Small Business, 64% of Twitter users and 51% of Facebook users are more likely to buy from brands they follow online.
So, with this information, I hope that you understand how SEO and social media are tightly interwoven strategies. And, remember that they play a balanced role in helping businesses achieve their set objectives.
Now the question is: where do you spend your hard earned dollars?
Well, as someone who works and values both, the biggest thing to ask yourself is where are your customers? Of course, every industry is different. For example, in a fashion e-commerce niche, Instagram may work much better than LinkedIn. And, SEO or Google Shopping would work, but the competition may be super high. So, what do you do?
Option 1: there’s heaps of information online to help you get started. And, knowledge is power.
Or, option 2: let’s have a non-obligatory informational chat and discuss the best solution for your brand.
In brief, the landscape for digital marketing right now is moving so rapidly that now is the time to explore your options.
Rachelle <3