Google is very secretive in telling us the recipe that ultimately ranks the websites when someone completes a search. They have, however, notified the public that social media popularity is not (currently) one of the reasons for listing something above something else. So what’s the point? Experts claim that while Google might not see your Facebook likes as a reason to rank your website, it’s an easy way to gain the confidence of potential clients who may visit your website, thus increasing your validity.  It’s also a great way to distribute your content online which encourages traffic back to your website and puts it in front of people who may link back to it on your website, which is good for SEO.
Here are some tips to keep your social media presence in good shape and help your SEO.
Advertise Your Availability
 Take a few minutes and make sure that your address and hours are up to date, and consistent through all of your platforms. If you have an emergency phone number, make sure it is listed in an easy-to-find location. Many clients will check your social media for clinic hours, especially during the holidays. Keep everyone informed, and often.
Make Sure You’re Responsive
Facebook measures how quickly you respond to messenger from your business page and rewards those who respond to 90%+ of messages received, and do so within 15 minutes with a “very responsive” badge. This badge is added to your business page, and helps differentiate you from your competition. After all, wouldn’t you rather take your business that wants to quickly answer your questions/concerns vs. a business that seems less responsive?
While there is no badge for responding to comments on posts, you’ll want to be responsive to those as well. Seeing interaction from the page owners builds trust.
Share Useful Content
Become a leader in your area when it comes to sharing important veterinarian news. Post your own tips or share articles about seasonal dangers or illnesses that commonly impact pets throughout the year. If your news is informative and easy to read, potential clients will gladly share it with their friends. This builds trust and keeps you at the top of readers’ minds when it comes time for them to find a new veterinarian or make an appointment. Good content will drive traffic back to your site, get shared/liked, and importantly for SEO linked to from other websites.
Promote Your Services and Events
Chances are that your clients won’t be checking your website on a daily basis. There is a much better chance of reaching out to your base through social media. You can remind them of an event coming up, post pictures of the event in real time, advertise promotions. If you post regularly, your clients will trust your presence and engage more often with questions.
Use Your Keywords in your Profile Description and in Your Content
Facebook has 2 BILLION search queries per day. Twitter has 2.1 BILLION. It’s safe to say that people are trusting their social media networks as a source of information. When a potential client types your veterinary specialty and local city into a search bar, you want to appear near the top of those search results.
Make a short list of those keywords (your specialties, the treatments or services you offer, your location) and then weave them into your profiles and whatever content you post.
Remember – just because Google says that social network popularity doesn’t impact search rank doesn’t mean this will always be the case. The social network scene is constantly rising and changing, and it will become increasingly difficult for Google to ignore its impact.
Also, Bing (the second most-used search engine in the world) does look at the social authority as a ranking factor. They’ve been vocal about the idea that social standing can add weight to a listing in search results.
So keep posting, it does help!
