What are social signals? What do they do? Why are they useful? This blog aims to answer these and other questions that tend to be repeated often.
What are social signals really?
Social networks are Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. Where users have the possibility to publish domains or URLs. As a value to recommend them to their friends. Users place a backlink on their social profile to link their friends to certain documents on the Internet. Not only can shared domains be shared, queried, or retyped, but they can also be individual URLs.
The emergence of various social signals
Social media symbols at the bottom of articles from different websites is a very common occurrence nowadays. So, The purpose of these symbols is that they can be used to share the URL in different social networks. In fact, such symbols can be seen at the end of this article as well.
The symbols on the right allow you to “share”, “tweet” or “g + 1” the URL of the page in the respective social network. We must not forget that this action can be carried out. The user has an account in these social networks and is registered and identified.
Social signals indicate the success
Social signals with a domain are “to become viral”. In social networks, you can differentiate which topics and issues are particularly interesting for readers and users. Since actions like “Like” or “Share” are real interactions between users. Someone somewhere thinks article X is interesting and shares it in their profile. This process has the same effect when users simply copy the URL of the browser. And publish it directly to their social network.
What are NOT social signals?
Social signals have nothing to do with how many “friends” or “followers” you have on your Facebook or Twitter profile. The “like” number that has a link. For example, will not be taken into account in the tool.
Social signals are just that: signals.
The fact that a blog article has been shared for example in a Facebook group is a sign. A sign, a clue, an indication that it is popular and this information can then be used in our favor. But it is very important to differentiate between following these social signals. The practice is known as social analytics. Is not the same.
What are social signals for SEO?
Time and again it is discussed whether Google should use social signals as a ranking factor. A question that is not so silly if we consider the fact that they are real user signals. On the other hand, these signals are easy to manipulate by ingenious SEOs and Google. They could encounter false or unreal information. Matt Cutts, Google’s Ex. Spam Team Leader and currently on a gap year. He has often denied that Google takes social signals into account as an acceptable rating factor.
However, as Cutts explains in the video, social marketing is a good complement and very useful for SEO.
Cutt explains that the basis of SEO is good content. The website must offer quality content that provides real value. For example, by responding to a customer’s need or demand or by providing the solution to a specific problem. It is also very useful to add images, videos that develop the content in a pleasant way. These are entertaining the readers. And representing that you are a specialist in that specific field offered by the link.
And with the content comes social marketing. It is important to spread the content through social networks to ensure that you get as much attention as possible. Let the clients know that the text or article in question exists. And Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are perfectly adapted to this need. If the content of the messages and articles is good enough. It is expected that these are shared in social networks. Only then will there be social signals automatically for the link or domain.
So, if Google does not take into account social signals, what do they serve me and my SEO?
First
Social signs work indirectly. When hundreds of users discover the content of your link, read it and share it. It is likely that one or two of these users even mention it on their own blog. Perhaps directing other users to the website through a backlink. Perfect! Not only has a thematically relevant backlink been obtained and a real recommendation for the website. A totally natural link has been generated that will keep us away from certain nightmares with angry penguins and “google algorithms”.
Second
SEO is not the beginning and the end. SEO is a means to a certain purpose. The ultimate goal that lies behind SEO is still to attract as much traffic as possible to the website. In question – and preferably within the group to which the business is directed. Traffic generated through social networks is silent, but it is still traffic and we must appreciate the utility of it. If you do a good social marketing strategy, this will make your business a little more independent of Google. It is always good to have multiple sources that generate traffic to your website.
Conclusion
So while social signs are not a Google ranking factor, they are still vitally important to the success of a web page. In addition to generating indisputable benefits in SEO (such as creating backlinks). These social signals measure the effects of social marketing that is taking place, thus increasing traffic to the website.
This results in a production of higher profits in web stores or more demands for a service. Ultimately generating better figures in the business. And last but not least, social cues can be useful for analyzing the competition. Therefore, are a key aspect of any professional activity that takes place through the virtual cloud.
