Why Does Social Media Affect Search Rankings – 4 Most Likely Reasons

Search Engine Optimization or SEO, the crucial function that puts your website at the top of the search results page is undergoing numerous changes and one of the most significant changes in SEO today is the increasing impact of social media on SEO.

While the impact of social media on SEO is clearly visible, the exact reason(s) as to why social media enhances search rankings is not clear. People are only talking of a high correlation between social media factors and high search rankings, and not a direct cause and effect relationship.

This article looks at the likely reasons why social media impacts search rankings.

  4 Most Likely Reasons Social Media Impacts Search Rankings

        Content on Social Media can Create Natural Back Links for your Site

When people are clicking through to your site and reading your content, it is likely that they will link back to it from their own websites. This creates relevant organic back links for your website, which have high SEO value and enhance your search rankings. Of course, for this to occur, you need to create relevant, high quality content.

        Content Shared on Social Media Can Go Viral

Sometimes it happens that you create compelling content that strikes a chord in your audience. You will not know it unless you share such content on social media, because social media can make this content viral.  With the wide spread sharing of your content on social media, there is more traffic to your website and resultant greater number of link backs, all of which contribute to enhancing your search rankings.

       Social Media Gets You Noticed By Industry Influencers

Being noticed by influencers by itself does not increase your search rankings. But when industry big-wigs notice you and you build relationship with them on social media, it is likely that they may share your content on their social media pages. This is extremely critical for your search rankings because now everyone is keen to read your content and people will be flocking to your website increasing the traffic. And you can expect more organic back links for your content following social sharing or recommendation from an industry expert. After all, everybody wants to emulate the expert. Thus your search rankings shoot up.

What other reasons do you think are responsible for the influence of social media on search rankings?

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  Author Bio:

  This post has been written by Yasir Khan, founder of Quantum SEO Labs.