Optimizing for search or social: Is there a trade off?
By Hannah Barling
Would you rather be clickbait or Google friendly? You don’t have to choose.
While there is a difference in the way SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMO (Social Media Optimization) are processed when people are searching for content, the way you format your content for each does not have to differ.
So when asking the question “Is there a trade off between SEO and SMO?” 5MetaCom copywriter Andy Hollandbeck told participants at ACES 19th national conference, “no.” Here’s why:
Google uses an inverted pyramid-style practice when searching content — matching journalistic style. Convenient, right?
The purpose of SEO is getting the right people to your site, not just anyone. When using social media to push out content, you’re just thinking of creative ways to get readers and users to click on your links.
High-quality content matters; you won’t be successful without it. Your content should:
- be well written and edited
- give your audience something they want
- learn something
- buy products
- solve a problem
- be entertained
- reflect your brand
When thinking of your content and how to present it and push it out on social media, it always comes back to your audience.
“It’s your voice, it’s what you write about and how you write it,” Hollandbeck said.
On the back end of most websites, there is an option for what you want Google to see your headline as and how the headline actually shows up for viewers. That difference is Title Tags versus H1 headlines, which are within your webpage code. For SEO, the page title is more important than the H1.
A couple main points Hollandbeck emphasized were to be sure you’re using links — but not too many — and long-form content is shared more often and people spend more time on your page reading it. Getting people to come to your page is great, but getting them to stay is better.
Social media optimization is all about making your content as easy to share as possible, and search engine optimization is all about having the correct keywords within your content and title.
In short, every SEO and SMO decision should be based on:
- what your customers want and need, not what your company wants and needs from your customers;
- your brand and its personality;
- what you expect your content to do for your business.
 Hannah Barling is a student at the University of Kansas.
