• Search Engines and Social Media Channels Compete
• Users Search, and then Socialize to Validate their Findings

Search Engines and Social Media Channels Compete
...but finding common ground can help customer engagement and conversion

With increased awareness about search engine optimization (SEO) and easier access to information, business owners are more willing to invest in making their websites rank higher on search engines. Simultaneously, the explosive growth of social media is spurring businesses to consider making social media an integral part of their overall marketing efforts. This does pose somewhat of a dilemma because the objective of search engines and social media channels is quite the opposite of each other.

While search engines aim to help consumers find the information they are looking for and direct them specifically to the most relevant (top ranking) websites, social channels facilitate online conversations on third-party forums like Facebook, Twitter, Mashable and so on. Savvy Internet marketers have realized that instead of making the difficult choice of one over the other, it is wise to find common ground between search and social and rake in the benefits of both.

The biggest advantage of social media is that it generates consumer-speak - honest feedback about a product, service or brand. Social media users are already on a heightened level of "engagement" when they are discussing a product, service or issue. If your company launches a social media campaign, you can look for the prominent and frequently appearing keywords that users include in their social conversations. Using these keywords on your website can yield good results because they are likely to be relevant search terms that prospective customers will use when searching for your product or service on Google, Yahoo!, etc. You could be losing potential opportunities if you ran a social media campaign without a solid SEO strategy in place to support it. Your business needs the collaborative impact of search and social marketing.

To find out more, register for our upcoming webinar. There are two sessions available.

Internet users are growing more demanding - they want relevant information, easily and quickly. They are no longer content with surfing and searching for information on search engines. They also now look to confirm their online findings by interacting with other folks using social media. For instance, the latest interactive multimedia game may show up on the first page of search engines but the person searching will most likely proceed to blogs, forums and Twitter type of channels to hear what people are saying about the game.

As a company, you can take the critical step to ensure that the information you provide about your business or brand is put across in a user-friendly and relevant manner - not just on your website but also via blog articles, blog posts, Tweets, a Facebook page, perhaps even a video presentation on YouTube. If "content is king" was true in the past, it just got further reinforced!

The important thing to remember is that while you may know best about your business, you may not always figure out the best way to communicate it to your target audience. Your best bet is to employ the services of a professional web copywriter or Internet marketing consultant who offers expert help with search marketing content. Compelling, persuasive copy with clear call to action can effect higher conversions from your search marketing and social media campaigns. Content that drives results can mean the difference between whether your audience surfs your online space or turfs it.

Register now for WSI’s forthcoming Webinar on "Surf and Turf with Search and Social".

Your local WSI Consultant is trained in both, search and social media marketing and can help you discover that critical common ground between these two advanced Internet marketing fields. Call now to set up a free, no obligation consultation.