We’ve known for a while now that social media signals are used in Google’s search algorithms but now a new study done by Searchmetrics details just how important social media really is. In light of this new info social media marketing is more important than ever, and just having a profile and a few fans or followers isn’t going to cut it either.
In fact after looking at 10,000 keywords, 300,000 websites, and millions of links Searchmetrics found that number of Facebook shares, comments, and likes had among the highest correlation with search results. This means that the number of shares and comments you get on your Facebook page has a higher correlation to search results than backlinks with keywords in them or even having a keyword in your domain name. Because of this the relevance of how many people actually like or follow you is huge. The larger your fan base is the more people you can get to like, share, or comment on your awesome content.
Even though Google+ doesn’t show up on this graph rest assured, Google+ social signals did actually have the highest correlation for search results. Searchmetrics left them off the study because they are still relatively new and have a smaller active user base. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay away, for marketing purposes you should do everything in your power to get as many +1’s as possible.
Although correlation does not necessarily point to causation I think it’s safe to say that social media has become the most important thing you can focus your digital marketing efforts on. With Google’s Matt Cutts repeatedly talking about social signals in relation to search ranking, it is likely that this correlation between social media signals and search results will continue to grow.
Need help growing your social media fan base to take advantage of this strong correlation? Contact Wikimotive for a free evaluation and advice on how you can grow your social media fan base.