Deck from my PubCon session on "Social Media Signals that Influence Search". In this presentation, we discuss how you can tailor your messaging and posts to maximize the value of the signals being sent from social media to the search engines. Covers keyword research, branding, best practices for Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+

1. Social Media
Signals
Using Social + SEO to
Grow and Position
Your Brand
Carolyn Shelby
Director of Digital Strategy, 435 Digital/Tribune

2. Back in the day…
• Limited means of reaching consumers,
and almost all of it was push.
–
–
–
–
–
TV
Radio
Print
Outdoor
Direct Mail

3. Truly Successful Campaigns
• Used every means of connecting with the consumer
they could, in memorable ways.
• They positioned the brand in the category. The
goal was to make the consumer think of their brand
first when considering a purchase in the category.
• The messaging was CONSISTENT.
• Positioned the brand as the category leader.

4. Now We Have the Internet
• More ways to reach consumers and
communicate our message/position our
brands:
–
–
–
–
Web (Search)
Social Media (FB, Twitter, Google+, etc)
Mobile
Email

5. But…
• Messaging is not consistent. Styles, voices,
and even the words used in the messages are
not consistent.
• Brands are often not positioned in the new
media the way they are in the old media.

6. Message Consistency = Branding
• The more you expose the consumer to a
brand, the more you’re reinforcing the
message in their heads.
• Consistency across all channels dramatically
increases the frequency of exposure and
strengthens the brand’s position in the
consumer’s mind.

7. We’re Missing Opportunities!
Fractured/inconsistent
messaging and social media
engagement without brand
and category level strategy is
just spinning tires…
It’s preventing Social Media
and SEO efforts from getting
the traction.

8. and, often, the whole point
Pinterest
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
Web
LinkedIn

9. Sending the Right Signals

10. Consistency
• Consistent look and feel
– Aids credibility
– Reinforces brand awareness
– Fosters brand affinity
• Consistent messaging
– Voice/Tone
– Consistent use of specific words and phrases
– Consistent use of imagery

11. Strategic Use of Signals
• Category Signals (non-branded terms)
– Important for non-branded search
– Used to reach people who are not yet familiar
with your brand/products.
• Brand Signals (branded terms)
– Used to position your brand as the leader in your
category and to reinforce that message.
– Also good for reinforcing concepts that are
unique to your brand.

12. Category/Non-Branded Terms
• These are the trophy keywords that get
people unfamiliar with your brand/products
to your site.
• To increase the relevancy and traction of
non-branded keywords, they need to be used
in all of the messaging, as often and as
naturally as possible.

15. Brand Terms
• Branded terms are the easiest to rank
for… Good brands *own* their brand
and their product names in the SERPs
• Branded terms will be your least
expensive PPC campaigns

16. Branded
Category/Non-Branded

17. Social Media Rule of Three
Does not preclude or
exclude:
Push
Your
Brand
Share
Interests
Be Yourself*
• SEO
• Keyword research or
• Limiting branding efforts
to 33% of engagements.
* Yourself = Your BRAND

18. Send the Right Signals
• Use consistent imagery, voice, styles and
messaging.
• Push your brand, your specific messages and
category terms. Be strategic about the
messages you write and don’t miss
opportunities to use your target keywords.
• Don’t break character!

19. Making the Most of Social Platforms
•
•
•
•
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+

20. Facebook
• Not only is Facebook a valuable source for
search ranking signals (shares, likes), but it
also has it’s own internal search
(OpenGraph).
• Make sure the words you use in your FB
interactions HAVE YOUR KEYWORDS in them.
Somewhere.

21. Do we see a pattern?

22. Twitter
• (Smart) people monitor keywords as well
as hashtags.
• Things you share on Twitter (and other
social media platforms) should drive
readers back to your website. Don’t keep
them in the walled garden.

23. Pinterest
• USE YOUR WORDS! Search engines cannot
see images. Name your boards, name your
images, and describe the pictures using
words people are likely to search for.
• Drive followers from your website to your
Pinterest board (reverse of other social
platforms)

26. Google+
• The ranking factor chart doesn’t lie… G+ is huge
for search.
• The algorithm currently used on G+ accounts is
similar to old school SEO. You are what you
write/share.
• Tying your G+ account into your posts on the web
for authorship credit will increase your perceived
authority and help you show up in searches you
would not normally appear in (with a photo!).

27. Google + in SERPs
• Have a nice photo
• The more circles
you’re in, the better
(as long as the circles
are related to your
subject!)
• You still need to
optimize your titles
and descriptions ;)

28. Carolyn Shelby
Director of Digital Strategy, Tribune/435 Digital
@cshel
cshelby@tribune.com
carolyn@435digital.com

29. Tribune is one of the country’s leading multimedia companies, operating
businesses in publishing, digital and broadcasting. In publishing, Tribune’s
leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The
Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford
Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press.
The company’s broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, WGN
America on national cable and Chicago’s WGN-AM. Popular news and
information websites complement Tribune’s print and broadcast properties
and extend the company’s nationwide audience.
435 Digital was created as the digital marketing services arm of Tribune
Media, after the success of ChicagoNow showed that many of the Tribune’s
advertisers wanted to expand their digital presence, but did not have the
expertise to do it. 435 Digital provides the expertise they need.