Social Media And Impact On SERPs – 9 Important Factors

There once was a time when meeting like minded people or interacting with brands of our choice, was totally impossible. Things are different now and we don’t need to even mention that! The coming generation would know the world like something we’d never seen before. Such is the power of social networking sites and Social Media.

Social Media is a sure shot game changer and we know that- what with Google jumping in with Google plus while Facebook changed the entire idea of social networking in the world! Now to answer the pressing question on Social Media and its impact on SERP, let’s look at a few points.

1. Sharing With Networks – Facebook, Google Plus, & Twitter

The sharing fever is already prevalent on social sites. Good content easily gains popularity and easily grows a steady base of real followers. This is certainly a good metric to measure the real popularity of a site, isn’t it?

2. Authenticity And Trust Verifiable

It’s certainly an easier way to decide whether a site is really popular or whether a brand is actually as big as it projects itself to be. The support from real people validates trust and authenticity. Strange as it may see, a little presence on virtual space and everyone knows everything!

3. Niche Content And Profiles – Business And Industry Segmentation

Another very interesting and relevant point is that users are constantly segregating their information and putting it up on various sites. Like twitter is for micro-blogging while LinkedIn has professional connections. Now, when a business features in various segments, it can easily be validated or indexed for relevant content. Why wouldn’t search engines look at this as an important factor?

4. Buttons For Sharing

Sharing has moreover, become very easy. Besides filling in personal info and letting people know about yourself, people are also sharing a great deal of web content with each other and not by copying, emailing or sharing prints – but simply by clicking buttons and creating direct updates.

The series of options here are frequently used to share and more people read indicate more traffic for the article, content or website. The buttons are making work quite interesting – bridging the gap between the human tendency to be lazy and keep quiet and click a button and endorse something. An important social media factor influencing SERP, I must say.

5. Business And Customer Service

And that brings us to customer service. Sitting here in America, I sent a a gift purchased online, to my niece in India and tracked on the internet. When I had a doubt about whether it is, I simple went on the facebook page and asked for help. I have never made a buy with the company before and nor do I know of the company – but the customer service on social media did it for me. Yes; important factor once again.

6. Growing Trends – People Attracted To Virtual Space

And here’s something you have to here: More people are going crazy over the virtual space and more people are falling in love with their virtual homes everyday! And in the future, they are only going to be more attracted to building their virtual identity. In short, no one’s going anywhere.

So when the maximum time a person spends on the web is going to be on social media, micro- blogging and other networking sites, then it’s pretty certain that what they endorse is going to be of value – and certainly, organic traffic. Search engines love the word ‘Organic’, so you are going to see them keeping their eyes open for this space.

7. Google update (Freshness, Real Time Results For People And Pages Profiles)

Looking at the search engine giant, we have two points to consider. One is its latest Panda 3.2 update which talks about ‘Freshness’ quotient. Google already shows real time updates and personal user profiles from social sites in its search; now it is simultaneously indexing content as soon as they are getting updated. Aren’t social sites places for live action? So putting two and two together, and ‘Plus-ing’ them, doesn’t it add up to some more social media and SERP connection?

8. Presence of Google Plus

That brings us to the second point – Google Plus. Google – the search engine giant, I repeat – feels the need to launch its own social site. And not only that, it is also aggressively marketing it. Take a look at this small example:

Google’s help pages show only the ‘+1′ button which means you tend to share the content only on Google Plus. Of course you could always use the link and share it anywhere else, but as lazy as we humans are, we’ll simply click the button and bookmark it for ourselves. This is a strong social media and search engine connection. Google – being what it is – is sure to make all its actions count.

9. Indirect impact

So finally, when so much is already happening and there are so many ways in which social media influences results indirectly – then, looking beyond, in the future – why wouldn’t there be a clear cut instruction and direct impact? We already know of official statements talking about how twitter or Facebook link-sharing can influence page ranks on Google and Bing – but we still don’t have clear demarcations on ‘How’. Life would be far harder then; so for now – let’s enjoy the social media.

Divya is a creative and vivacious lady dedicated to working on web content and web development. While she enjoys socializing – dancing, singing – just like everyone else, she also has a passion for Social Media optimization and blogging on e-commerce. She’s an expert in SMM, SEO, Link Building and consults with various SEO companies.