Social Media Signals

Using Social + SEO to Grow and

PositionYour Brand

Carolyn ShelbyDirector of Digital Strategy, 435 Digital/Tribune

Back in the day…• Limited means of reaching

consumers, and almost all of it was push.– TV– Radio– Print– Outdoor– Direct Mail

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

We’re Missing Opportunities!

and, often, the whole point

WebFacebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

LinkedIn

Sending the Right Signals

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

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.

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.

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

Branded

Category/Non-Branded

Share Interest

s

Be Yourself*

Push Your

Brand

Does not preclude or exclude:

• SEO• Keyword research or• Limiting branding

efforts to 33% of engagements.

* Yourself = Your BRAND

Social Media Rule of Three

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!

Making the Most of Social Platforms

• Facebook• Twitter• Pinterest• Google+

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.

Do we see a pattern?

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.

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)

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!).

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 ;)

Carolyn ShelbyDirector of Digital Strategy, Tribune/435 Digital

@cshelcshelby@tribune.com

carolyn@435digital.com

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.