The strength of social networks in a digital strategy is undeniable. And the SMO is there to increase it directly on its website(s). Faced with this rapid growth, it is also that of the referencing of websites that are at stake. In other words, it is no longer the search engines alone that make the weather rain or shine to lead Internet users to know you and buy your products.
Social Media Optimization definition
Faced with the natural referencing of search engines (SEO), the question of referencing through social networks, SMO, is still a timid practice, even unknown, in certain companies. However, taking the measure of growth opportunities through social networks is essential as they increase the number of visits to a website. An SMO strategy consists in using social networks to optimize the traffic of its site and its online notoriety in general.
SMO is a complementary strategy to SEO (natural referencing) and SEA (paid referencing). A good SMO strategy improves the popularity of a website and therefore it’s positioning on search engine results pages.
Difference Between SEO & SMO
First of all, it’s important to make the difference between these two acronyms, even if they have the same goal. Both require a specific approach and tools.
- SEO (for Search Engine Optimization) is the strategy to put in place to optimize the referencing of sites, and therefore their ranking, on search engine results. This involves different techniques, starting with tags, keywords up to the technical optimization of the site.
- SMO (for Social Media Optimization) is a global web marketing strategy aimed at acquiring traffic on its social network accounts by using its features.
Their objective is nevertheless common: to increase and improve the traffic and the visibility of a website.
Why do SMO?
Today, the online presence of a single website is not enough, whether for a B2C or B2B company. To be in the race against the competition and, more broadly, to take advantage of all the opportunities in line. This is mainly on smartphones whose use has exceeded that of the computer to consult the internet and social networks.
So that the SMO makes it possible to achieve different objectives:
Increase your web presence in general:
Being present on one or more social networks actually increases your online presence when an Internet user searches to find out more about you. In the same way, many users carry out a brand/company search directly in the social networks in question. It is therefore important to be present and active so as not to be overtaken by namesakes.
Increase its reach and its e-reputation / online notoriety:
An SMO strategy gives you the opportunity to reaffirm the existence of your company and improve its image with your customers, prospects, and partners. If by chance a company, in Pakistan or abroad, has a similar or approaching name, you also avoid confusion on search engines. Because the “biography” sections of social networks appear in the results and allow you to clearly indicate your core business.
Increase traffic to your site:
The web works with communicating vessels. Search engines link to sites and social networks, and these link to your site. The more you are active and invested in an SMO strategy, the more you will increase visits to your site. Thanks to the links you can add and the interest you will be able to generate. And the more visits you increase, the more search engines improve your positioning.
Increase your Lead Generation:
In B2B, lead generation also involves social networks, starting with LinkedIn. A real social media strategy is therefore essential.
How to implement an effective SMO strategy?
Opening accounts and not funding them, or doing so in a haphazard manner, is like cutting the branch on which a business is sitting. It is therefore important to implement different strategies and adapt over time to changes in social networks. This goes through :
Define your personas:
In B2B or B2C, you must already have defined your typical customer(s) in order to provide them with what really interests them and generate qualified leads to sell and build loyalty.
Define the social networks on which to communicate:
Each social network has its target. For example, LinkedIn is primarily intended for a B2B professional audience, whereas Instagram or TikTok is more B2C.
Study the competition and current trends:
Study the competition and current trends even if the SMO is not new. The digital world is constantly evolving, both in terms of content and form. LinkedIn, for example, brings many new features to its users every year to increase their influence on the network and prospect effectively. For their part, networks closer to B2C like Instagram are developing new content-sharing tools that force marketing teams to reinvent themselves to use them and take advantage of them.
Have pages optimized for social networks:
For this, you must make the most of them through once again the features and possibilities they offer you. On LinkedIn, create a company page and link the personal profiles of your team members. This promotes a more human and close side that can sometimes be lacking in B2B.
Plan an editorial calendar of publications
Plan an editorial calendar of publications as you would for blog posts. But even more so for social networks, always think that content must have a date and that it is perishable (unlike an article that can always be updated). You should also identify the most appropriate days and times for postings. This programming also depends on your customers and what you sell. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are more favorable in B2B, in the morning and at the end of the day. In B2B, consumers tend to go about their personal business on the weekends, and it’s more the weekdays, until Saturday. That holds the rope to be visible and obtain commitment.
Link all social accounts to your website:
This may seem obvious, but it often happens that you find a Facebook or Instagram icon on a company’s website that does not lead to any link. Conversely, of course, indicate in your description the link to your site. To take your SMO strategy a step further, feel free to use a tool like Linktree to compile multiple links into one. This will allow you to link your social media account to your homepage, videos, white papers, and other inbound marketing.
In B2B, produce content on social networks that bring real added value
This is important for the Internet user and avoid self-promotion. To do this, prioritize an inbound marketing strategy by sharing links on your social networks to landing pages for registering for a webinar, downloading a white paper, listening to a podcast, etc.
Respond to its community and comments:
A B2C brand has every interest in calling on a community manager to manage messages and sometimes bad buzz. But B2B companies must also be attentive to their community. All questions require an answer, especially when it comes to lead generation. Otherwise, the interested Internet user will think that his question is not important to you and that it is better that he finds another company.
The SMO represents an opportunity. To achieve the best results, a strategy is essential, no matter the size of your organization. OMT Lahore for all your B2B lead acquisition projects.
