How Social Media and Google are Rewriting the Rules of Search

Search Engine Optimization used to be all about the rankings. If you included keywords in meta tags and web page content, and built quality backlinks, you had a good chance of ranking at the top of Google searches. Now the rules are changing. Today, rankings are no longer king. Google searches vary person to person and are based on many different factors. SEO success is now based on the overall trend of improving Google organic traffic, which leads to more sales leads and ultimately more sales for your brand or company.

Before, if two people were located in two different cities, they would see the exact same results of their Google search query. Now, those results vary depending on a number of factors, including

·     Personalized search results based on your past search history

·     Influenced search results based on your friends’ search histories

·     Locale based search results

·     Brand mentions on social media networks and on web pages

Google also takes into account if a search term suddenly becomes popular – such as a breaking news event – and adjusts its algorithms accordingly to deliver “fresh” content. Search results also deliver images and videos, which Google automatically factors into the query.

However, the driving factor affecting search results today is the impact of social media. Google started the ball rolling by including Facebook and Twitter posts in its search results. Then, Google upped the ante by developing its +1 button, allowing people to publicly recommend pages (different from the Facebook “like”).  With 90 million people now on Google+, those plus one buttons are gaining more importance.

The latest game changer is Google’s new Search, Plus Your World – a way of delivering personalized search results influenced by a user’s circle of friends. In essence, your friends’ online experiences will determine the type of search results you see.  Google will allow you to toggle between this new “social” search and its “regular” search. The net effect of this new Plus Your World search is that you could see two different search results for the same query.

In this new search environment, it is critical for companies to be aware of the conversations conducted about their brand. It’s also important for companies to provide content worthy of sharing across social channels. Relevancy is truly in the eye of the beholder.

If you need more assistance understanding these new SEO rules, or would like to improve your brand’s Google Organic Traffic, contact Creating WOW Communications today.