Click here for our complete SEO glossary.
What is a social signal in SEO? It’s a question that has been asked by marketers for years, and the answer remains somewhat elusive. Some say it’s the number of shares your content receives on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Others maintain that it’s the amount of time people spend on your website or how often they return. And still others believe that linking out to other websites from your own helps boost your search engine ranking. So what is it? What really constitutes a social signal in SEO?
What are social signals?
The definition of a social signal has changed over time, but at its core, a social signal is any indication that someone has interacted with your content. This interaction can take many forms, from sharing your content on social media to leaving a comment on your blog post. Any time someone takes an action that shows they’ve seen and engaged with your content, it counts as a social signal.
How do social signals impact SEO?
Social signals are important for SEO because they help search engines understand what people think about your website and its content. The more positive engagement your website gets, the better your chances of ranking high in search results. That’s because if people are regularly interacting with your site, it’s a sign to search engines that your content is relevant and useful.
What are some examples of social signals?
There are many different types of social signals, but some of the most common include:
• Shares: This is when someone shares your content on a social media platform like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
• Likes: When someone likes your content on a social media platform, it’s another indication that they found it useful or interesting.
• Comments: If people are taking the time to leave comments on your blog posts or other content, it’s a good sign that they’re engaged with what you have to say.
• Links: Any time someone links to your website from their own, it’s a positive social signal. This is because it shows that they consider your site to be a valuable resource.
Conclusion
Social signals are an important part of SEO because they help search engines understand what people think about your website. The more positive engagement your site gets, the better your chances of ranking high in search results. So make sure you’re regularly sharing your content on social media and encouraging people to interact with it. These small actions can go a long way in helping improve your SEO.
Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.
In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.
No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.
When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).
