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When you started working in social media, who knew Twitter SEO would be a thing? Well, as social media has evolved, its capabilities have also adapted. Social SEO is now an important consideration to keep in mind for any platform.

Improving your brand’s Twitter SEO is essential to increase your tweets’ visibility on the platform. It can even boost your search rankings off the platform (looking at you, Google).

Whether you’re a marketer in charge of improving your brand’s Twitter presence or a creator looking to reach more people, using Twitter for SEO is something you’ll want to implement into your social strategy.

What is Twitter SEO?

Twitter SEO is the process of optimizing your tweets and profile to rank higher in search results.

You probably know that you can target specific keywords on your website to improve its rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). But Twitter SEO gives your tweets a boost in visibility and reach — both on and off the platform.

That’s right — Twitter SEO is beneficial for your search rankings on the platform itself and can also help your brand’s tweets show up in Google search results.

Why does Twitter SEO matter?

Social media platforms are a valuable discovery channel for brands. Most platforms have created enhanced search capabilities that make social SEO essential across all platforms, Twitter included.

Twitter SEO helps build brand recognition by increasing the visibility and reach of your tweets and profile.

When your brand’s tweets rank higher in search results for relevant keywords and phrases, they are more likely to be seen by a wider audience. This helps increase brand awareness and gets your content in front of the right people.

Optimizing your Twitter presence can also help your brand boost reach outside the platform. Public tweets and profiles can be discovered on Google. Even people who aren’t on Twitter can find your brand’s profile or tweets by searching your brand name.

This is a Twitter carousel that pops up in Google search results if you search for Hootsuite:

Twitter SEO ranking factors

If you want to optimize your tweets for search, you have to understand how Twitter’s algorithm ranks search results.

Let’s go over each of these Twitter SEO ranking factors in more detail.

Relevancy

The most important factor Twitter considers when ranking your tweets is the relevancy to a search query. Does your tweet match what someone searched?

If someone was to search for “Emily in Paris,” then they’re expecting to see tweets about the show. If your tweets or profile don’t match that intent, Twitter won’t feature your brand in the results.

Hashtag usage

Twitter uses hashtags to categorize content and help people discover topics and brands they may be interested in. For brands, trending hashtags are still a great way to reach an engaged audience.

According to Twitter, when brands use relevant hashtags to tap into trending conversations on the platform, they see an increase in brand awareness, message association, and even purchase intent.

People can also look up hashtags around topics they’re interested in, whether they’re recommended in the Explore tab or the user searches for a hashtag directly in the search bar.

Engagement metrics

If a popular tweet gets a lot of engagement and sparks conversations, Twitter wants to highlight it. Engagement metrics like retweets, quote tweets, likes, and replies are all visibility factors.

This is why using relevant keywords and hashtags in your tweets is essential. Including these elements in your tweets helps you reach people who are more likely to engage with your content. The more organic engagement you earn, the more love you’ll get from the algorithm

Authority and reputation

Another key factor Twitter considers is an account’s authority and reputation. Optimizing your tweets helps establish your brand as a thought leader or authority in your industry.

Relevant, high-quality content allows your brand to establish itself as a reliable source of information.

This ultimately helps build brand recognition and credibility. A good reputation is key, especially if you want to stand out among similar brands on the platform.

Google SEO ranking factors

If your profile is public, then your tweets can be found on Google.

Google indexes Twitter profiles and public tweets. This means everything you say on Twitter is connected to your brand, and your tweets can also contribute to your overall Google ranking.

In addition to Twitter SEO factors, let’s review some of the factors that go into Google search rankings.

Search intent

A user’s search intent is a top priority for Google. The search engine tries to match a search query with what the searcher actually wants to see.

Google has basically perfected its system over the years, so it usually knows what someone is trying to search for. That’s why Google results seem so smart — even if your search includes a typo or a synonym.

For example, check out this search for the phrase “sofas for small spaces.” Google knows that the words “sofa” and “couch” are interchangeable. That’s why it showed this page from Wayfair in the results:

Quality

Another factor Google takes into consideration is the quality of the content.

In Google’s eyes, three factors determine quality content:

Authority,
Expertise, and
Trustworthiness.

Google wants to be sure that if they recommend a page or product to a searcher, it’s valuable and can meet their search intent.

Usability

Google also takes a look at the usability of content in search results. The search engine loves content that’s mobile-friendly and accessible. It makes sense — mobile devices account for 63% of organic search engine visits.

The search engine favors content that’s easy to navigate and digest, loads quickly, and is accessible to all users.

6 Twitter SEO tactics to help you expand your reach

With Twitter and Google search ranking factors in mind, let’s go over these Twitter SEO tips can you use to boost your brand’s visibility both on and off the platform.

1. Use keywords in your profile and tweets

What search terms on Twitter do you want your brand to show up in the results for?

If you run the social media accounts for a local restaurant, you’ll likely want to appear in searches for “[your city] restaurants.” Or perhaps you have a DTC organic skincare brand and want to pop up when people search for any of those terms.

Similar to how you’d conduct keyword research for Google rankings, there are certain keywords you should target on Twitter to increase your brand’s visibility.

To do this, create a list of keywords related to your brand, industry, or product. Use these keywords throughout the copy on your page — in everything from your Twitter bio to your display name and even in your tweets when relevant.

Let’s take a look at Hootsuite’s Twitter profile as an example of this tactic in action.

Source

The first words in Hootsuite’s bio are “social media,” followed by “tools,” “tips,” and “news.” By including these keywords in its bio, Hootsuite is establishing its brand as an authority and a resource around social media topics. It’s also ensuring its tweets and profile show up in searches about social media.

And it clearly works. Hootsuite ranks at the top of the search results for the phrase “social media tips.”

Source

2. Take advantage of Twitter threads

Twitter loves threads. Even before Twitter officially encouraged threads, people used the format to share a string of thoughts requiring more than 280 characters.

If you haven’t seen a thread before, a Twitter thread is a series of tweets shared by one Twitter account. There are multiple tweets in a thread, and they’re all connected to make one long tweet.

Threads are essentially like mini blog posts. They’re typically used to share long-form content. Think step-by-step directions, a compelling story, or a roundup of resources.

Now, you’re probably wondering, how do threads help with Twitter SEO?

Well, for one, threads are made up of multiple tweets. This creates multiple opportunities for your tweets to be seen and engaged with.

Plus, Twitter labels threads as such and allows you to see the entire thread by clicking “Show this thread.” This also helps threads gain better visibility.

Imagine how much space a 10-tweet thread will take up in the feed compared to a single tweet that can easily be scrolled past.

Source

Threads also provide an opportunity to talk about one topic in depth. Going into detail about a particular topic helps check off many of Twitter’s search ranking factors, from authority to relevancy to engagement.

3. Talk about relevant topics

Another tactic you can use to boost your brand’s Twitter SEO is topics. Twitter sorts tweets into topics to make it easier for people to find content and profiles relevant to their interests.

Users can explore trending topics in the Explore tab or follow topics they’re interested in. If a user chooses to follow a certain topic — let’s say recipe ideas — then relevant tweets from people they may or may not follow will be in their feed.

Source

If you want to increase your reach and get your tweets in front of your target audience, then taking advantage of topics is a must. Create tweets based on the topics that are related to your brand — and tweet about them often.

One of the ways Twitter categorizes topics is by looking at people who talk about or interact with certain topics frequently. This tells Twitter that you’re knowledgeable about a topic, and other people may find your tweets valuable.

As long as the context is clear, your tweets will be categorized by topic and shown to people who are interested in that topic.

4. Use hashtags effectively

Hashtags are one of the primary factors Twitter uses to categorize tweets. Twitter recommends using only one or two hashtags per tweet to keep your message concise. And since you’re limited in characters, you’ll have to use hashtags strategically.

Include hashtags that not only support your tweet but are relevant to what people are searching. For example, to promote its limited edition Valentine’s Day box, Krispy Kreme used the hashtag #ValentinesDay in any tweet about the campaign.

How sweet is our limited-edition Valentine’s box? Available with every #ValentinesDay dozen. Who will you be sending love to? pic.twitter.com/9aJKZW0yFD

— Krispy Kreme (@krispykreme) February 1, 2023

This works for a couple of reasons. The hashtag is broad enough for people to search for, especially in the month leading up to the holiday. And by bringing its donut special into the conversation, Krispy Kreme can reach anyone who engages with the hashtag.

5. Engage with other users on the platform

Engaging with other users is a great way to boost visibility and increase reach on Twitter. By interacting with similar brands, you can get in front of that brand’s audience and reach new people who may be interested in your brand, too.

Look to food brands if you want a little inspiration in this category. Food and beverage brands have created the formula for engaging with other brands on the platform. These brands take any opportunity to join in on relevant conversations and even roast each other occasionally.

There’s also plenty of camaraderie between these fun-spirited brands, as shown in this light-hearted interaction between Cinnabon and Skittles (with a special shout-out to Slim Jim):

Source

This works because these brands know they have similar audiences and can expand their reach to new followers by participating in relevant conversations. As long as the responses are genuine and relevant, humanizing your brand on Twitter is always a good idea.

6. Don’t forget alt text

Adding alt text, or alternative text, to all your images is a social media best practice, especially if you want to ensure your content is inclusive to all users. These captions are used to describe your images to people who are visually impaired and use screen readers to access the content of an image.

Alt text can also help describe your content to search engines. If you include an image with your tweet, be sure to add alt text so Twitter can understand and index your content and help it show up in relevant search results.

Forget the groundhog, we use a 14,400’ active stratovolcano to predict the weather.

Mountain out? Good weather.
Mountain not out? Bad weather.
Mountain actively erupting? Lahar weather. pic.twitter.com/alHNKfFnmc

— Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources (@waDNR) February 2, 2023

The alt text on this tweet from the Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources reads: “Mount Rainier, a snow-capped and glaciated volcano, stands tall and majestically and unproblematically… for now.”

Frequently asked questions about Twitter SEO

What does SEO stand for on Twitter?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. On Twitter, SEO can be used to increase your tweet’s visibility and reach through targeted keywords and phrases.

Does Twitter help SEO?

Optimizing your Twitter can help with SEO in Google. Twitter profiles and public tweets can be seen and ranked on Google search results.

Do Twitter links count for SEO?

You can use Twitter links to direct traffic to your website. Sharing links on Twitter can increase your traffic and help boost your website’s SEO

How do I optimize my Twitter SEO?

To optimize your Twitter SEO, you should include relevant keywords in your Twitter bio, use hashtags, and tweet about topics that your target audience is searching for.

Save time by using Hootsuite to manage your Twitter presence alongside your other social channels. You can run contests, share videos, schedule posts, and monitor your efforts — all from one convenient dashboard! Try it for free today.

Get Started

The post Twitter SEO in 2023: 6 Can’t-Miss Tips appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

Social media SEO should be part of any ambitious marketer’s repertoire, but today, we’re diving into Facebook-specific tactics. That’s right — we’re cracking open the secret recipe to Facebook SEO!

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of Facebook SEO and give you a dozen tips you can implement today to better your reach.

What is Facebook SEO?

Facebook SEO is the practice of optimizing your Facebook content to increase your reach, discoverability, and visibility on the platform.

Social SEO is a relatively new practice, but it’s grounded in the same principles as more traditional SEO, which is the process of getting your site to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Facebook search engine optimization is essentially the same idea but within the walls of Facebook. In both cases, it’s all about working with the algorithm to make sure your content rises to the top.

If your Facebook page is a mini-website, picture Facebook’s feed as the SERP.

Why does Facebook SEO matter?

There are plenty of reasons why Facebook SEO should be a priority.

If you want to increase your reach on the platform (and who doesn’t?), Facebook SEO can help you expand your fan base and build relationships with followers.

But it’s not just about visibility on one platform — when executed well, Facebook SEO may also help your brand climb other SERPs.

Social media profiles are often the top rankings in SERPs. A page that ranks well within Facebook can also rank well outside of Facebook and help your visibility on places like Google. And lordy lordy, who doesn’t want to be the top dog on Google?

As anyone who pays tribute to Google’s appetite for SEO-rich content knows, every little bit helps. The higher any part of your brand is on the SERP, the better off your website traffic is. The better your website traffic is, the more quality leads make it to your website, and the higher your conversion rates climb.

You get more downloads, collect more information, make more money, and live a happier life (probably)!

So, why does Facebook SEO matter? Well, because it’s part of a well-rounded digital marketing diet, kids.

12 Facebook SEO tactics to optimize your Page

When it comes to Facebook SEO, you need to be strategic. You can’t just publish content and set up your profile all willy-nilly. That’s a recipe for a flop.

Instead, consider these Facebook SEO tactics your secret weapon to climb the feed!

Tip 1: Your name matters

Names are important. Anyone who was made fun of in elementary school can tell you that (coming from a Smallween, I mean, Colleen herself).

When you choose your Facebook Page’s name (which may be obvious), you must communicate who you are. If it doesn’t feel too spammy, add in what you do after.

Search engines and social platforms love relevant keywords, so if you can fit one into your Facebook Page name that also answers what you do, then you’re laughin’.

Antisocial Skateboard Shop is an example of a good SEO and Facebook Page name kebab. It says who the brand is (Antisocial) and what they do (Skateboard Shop), which happens to be a main keyword.

Source: Antisocial Skateboard Shop on Facebook

It’s also perfectly acceptable to just have your business name as your Facebook Page name.

Flower Beds Farm, for example, would read very awkwardly if they were to include keywords after their Page name. Flower Beds Farm, Vancouver Island Tourist Hotspot, sounds… wrong.

Source: Flower Beds Farm on Facebook

When in doubt, go with what reads naturally.

SEO is designed to best serve human beings with the pages they are searching for, so you should always aim to sound natural. Write for people, not the machine, and the machine will reward you.

Tip 2: Grab that vanity URL

When you first create your Facebook Page, you will be assigned a generic URL. Antisocial Skateboard Shop, for example, hasn’t changed theirs yet, so it looks like so:

Source: Antisocial Skateboard Shop on Facebook

(Antisocial Skateboard Shop: If you’re reading this, change your generic address to a vanity URL!)

Be sure to change that default string of nonsense into a vanity URL. Vanity URLs are customized web addresses; like vanity plates, you get to decide what yours says.

To create your custom Page URL, you simply have to change your Facebook username, which is under your About tab > Create Page Username. Use something short, branded, and attach a keyword.

In the example below, the popular news and media website NowThis has a vanity URL of facebook.com/NowThisNews. Clearly, they include their brand name and main keyword.

Source: NowThis on Facebook

Tip 3: Have an on-point About section

The About section is one of the first things your Page visitors will read. As Simon Sinek says, be sure to start with your ‘Why.’ His Ted Talk on the Golden Circle should give you an idea of what this could be for your brand.

You might be thinking, why include branding advice in an SEO tactic list? It’s science, really: you want users to smash that follow button so Facebook thinks you’re the most popular kid at the party.

And the best way to get buy-in? Make sure your branding speaks to your audience on an emotional level.

You will also want to sprinkle some relevant keywords throughout this section, much like Hootsuite does in the following tip. Way to be ahead of the curve, Hootsuite; it’s almost like you hire super talented, totally competent, and good-looking writers (cough cough).

Tip 4: Incorporate keywords throughout your Page

Your About section, description, headline, photo captions, notes, and even updates are all areas for potential keyword plugs.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Keywords are the cornerstone of your SEO strategy. You want to use your keywords at least once throughout your Facebook Page.

Just don’t keyword stuff. If you go overboard, you’ll get dinged. Remember, you’re writing for human beings, so be natural.

Look at this Page (chosen totally at random!) for an example of how to integrate keywords naturally. Pay attention to the About section (Social media tools! Build brands!) and the photo caption (chatbot!).

Source: Hootsuite on Facebook

If you’re not sure where to start your keyword research, keep an eye on what your audience is searching for and talking about using brand monitoring tools. You can also use SEO tools like SEMRush or Google’s keyword planner to create a list of keywords to keep an eye on.

Demand changes over time, so revisit and update your target keywords regularly. That way, you’ll always be abreast of keyword fluctuations that pertain to your business.

Tip 5: Earn those backlinks

Backlinks are like a vote of confidence — they give your Page credibility. Google will view you as an industry authority if you can get other reputable sites to link to your Page or your content. Don’t forget to link to your website in the About section of your Facebook Page!

You can build a backlink network by collaborating with influencers and other strategic partners.

But the best way to earn quality backlinks is pretty simple. Produce high-quality content matching user needs, and those links should start rolling in.

Actually, speaking of high-quality content…

Tip 6: Publish keyword-rich content

Okay, do you want the good news or the bad news first?

The bad news is that you must consistently and repeatedly publish keyword-rich content. You can’t just push out one or two posts per month and expect groundbreaking results. It’s consistent, quality content that will really help with your SEO.

The good news is that Hootsuite can help in so many ways.

If you’re unsure where to start, try the 2023 guide to social media content creation.
If you’ve got the basics down but want to really blow your followers out of the water, this guide on engaging and effective content will help.
If you’ve hit a creative block, these 17 fresh content ideas are coming in hot.

Once you’ve got your content sorted and ideas for keyword-rich captions, be sure to schedule your posts in bulk with Hootsuite (the ultimate time-saver).

Tip 7: Engage with your followers

Social media is built for communication. If your followers leave a comment, respond! Open up a dialogue and have a chat.

The Facebook algorithm judges content (in part) based on engagement levels. So if your followers offer you the chance to increase engagement, take it.

Tip 8: Double-check your contact information

Make sure to list your business address, phone number, and business hours on your Facebook Page.

Even if you’re a purely online, don’t-call-me, 3 AM to 4:30 AM ecommerce brand, you’ll want to include something here. Facebook indexes for local search based on this information.

If you have a physical address, you can also allow users to check in, creating more visibility for your business. This can also serve to increase social trust in your brand.

If you see a friend checking into a business, maybe you’ll check it out yourself.

Tip 9: Moderate your reviews

Don’t get bummed out if you get a bad review. Bad reviews are a part of life! And not only that, but they offer you an opportunity to provide top-tier customer service.

You’ll likely gain a loyal customer if you can turn a bad experience into a great one. You can even ask them to reconsider the review they left. A negative review is just a positive review waiting to happen!

Your first step is to respond to the reviewer, apologize, and offer to make it right. Then, once you’ve resolved or diffused the situation, you can ask them to reconsider their rating.

Brands with five stars are more likely to be interacted with on Facebook, improving your SEO.

Tip 10: Post at the right time

Figuring out the best time to post on Facebook will inherently raise your engagement rates, better serve content to your audience, and please the algorithm Gods. All of this, of course, works to better your SEO.

Hootsuite’s content publisher will suggest optimal times for you to post. Or, for those go-getters, you can do your own research by following this red-hot advice on the best times to post on Facebook.

Tip 11: Get smart about alt text

Alt text: We love to see it. Adding alt text to your Facebook photos helps the platform understand and index your content. As a result, it shows up more in search results.

Even without the SEO benefits, creating accessible content is just good practice. It also allows those in your audience with visual impairments to enjoy your content.

Besides being the right thing to do, this effectively expands your audience to include those with visual impairments or other disabilities.

Tip 12: Create location-specific content

Do you have more than one location? Your SEO strategy may benefit from multiple location Pages. This will let you capitalize on the benefits of localized marketing.

For example, say you have donut shops in Vancouver, Seattle, and Oregon. You could potentially rank for region-specific keywords for each place, but only if you have separate Pages dedicated to targeting those regions’ keywords.

Frequently asked questions about Facebook SEO

Still curious? Here are some answers to your most frequently asked questions.

What does SEO mean on Facebook?

Facebook search engine optimization is the strategy of increasing your Page’s visibility, reach or ranking on Feeds. SEO for Facebook is very similar to SEO on other platforms.

How do I SEO my Facebook Business Page?

You can SEO Facebook Pages by implementing the 12 Facebook SEO tactics above! The sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.

Can you do SEO for other social media platforms?

Absolutely. Hootsuite has guides to help you learn Instagram SEO, TikTok SEO, and Pinterest SEO.

Manage your Facebook presence alongside your other social media channels using Hootsuite. Schedule posts, share video, engage your audience, and measure the impact of your efforts — all from a single dashboard. Try it free today.

Get Started

The post Facebook SEO: 12 Tactics for Better Reach in 2023 appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.