Introduction
A recent article posted on SearchEngineLand.com advises there may be more to the recent release of Googles new Hummingbird algorithm change than many SEO agencies first thought. Whilst Google has long maintained social media factors were taken in to account when ranking sites in search, “it appears that Google previously had major technical limitations with regard to the use of social signals as a ranking factor. With Hummingbird, Google now has the infrastructure to better process social signals (among other things)” (Enge & Sullivan, 2013). When this article was released in November 2013, it was advised Google was not using social signals as a ranking factor (or at least not extensively), however; it intended to use them in the future. To summarise, social signals are expected to receive a ranking score based on effort, commitment and the level of authority of the profile using the signals. A Subject matter expert’s opinion, those with high perceived authority by Google would count for more in social signal scoring. Effort and commitment was summarised in the article by the below table:
(Enge & Sullivan, 2013)
This article will seek to offer insight into how social media can be used effectively to assist in organic search rankings in Google, focusing on Google +.
How do Google + Pages Gain Authority?
Mark Traphagen, column author for Search Engine Land, performed a study recently to confirm his theory on how Google + pages gain authority for ranking in search. It appears from the study that Google + pages gain authority for ranking in search in a similar way to standard web pages. Certain internal and external factors accumulate to provide page rank scores for profiles, Google + pages and communities.+ Mark Traphagen goes on to advise that it is a credible assumption due to Google + being a social network, that connections authority form the initial profile rank scoring factor, followed by other secondary factors such as mentions, +1’s, re-posts and shares (as seen in the table above). These internal factors within Google + are similarly followed by external factors such as links from external sources. Therefore; it is a fair assumption that social signals from other platforms of social media will eventually provide page rank positive scoring aspects of their own. The article highlights a study performed by Traphagen in which he seeks to discover if these hypotheses are supported by rankings of real case studies (see the sources cited below to view the study). Recommendations are then made which seek to advise how to increase visibility in search. These recommendations include: building strong networks within Google +, cultivating quality links from trusted websites (not as redundant as many articles will lead you to believe), and, Using Google authorship for content published across the web. These recommendations go hand in hand with further relevant SEO and authority factors when seeking to increase rankings for your business in Google (Traphagen, 2013).
Google Business Listings
Google business listings is essentially having your business appear on Google maps at the address you are located, or, claiming your piece of the world and staking it as the site you occupy. For example:
Business listings come complete with: image placement, address info, contact info, website info, reviews and all things needed to find and evaluate you. Business listings are also used to propagate things in the knowledge graph, and carousel (see below). It is fair to assume that due to Googles creed ‘to display the most relevant search terms to searchers’, that, the transparency provided by listing in Google business listings is a vital part of SEO. Not to mention, listing aids consumers/customers by making your business much more visible in general.
Recently, Google business listings changed from what was known as Google places, it seems in an effort to streamline other Google services such as Google +. Management of listing your business on Google maps changed to be incorporated within Google +, and surely encapsulated authority scoring aspects. The changes ultimately (after much tinkering) made listing and updating far easier and aesthetically very pleasing to the eye. The data structure used in business listings directly relates to the knowledge graph and carousel, and, is a sure fire way to tie social media and business data to search. Listings still require verification and utilise the same verification process as Google places: post card code, phone call, sms etc. The great thing is that businesses with multiple locations such as Hotels can list multiple business listings with local Google + pages attached to each listing, and, relate key categories of operations to the listing effectively tying in keyword relation. The local pages also provide some analytics data, though not much as the in depth analytics data that is readily available in Google Analytics, however; there will be a point in time that Listings, social media, AdWords etc will tie together completely (Young, 2013) (Anderson, 2013).
Businesses attempting to rank and be visible specific to regions, such as Hotels, should place a large emphasis on local listings, the knowledge graph, and reviews. As seen below, not appearing in these results can severely impact your general visibility in Google search. When searching for ‘Hotels in National Park’, which is a fairly niche location, however; due to local recognition by Google and local listings, great visibility can be seen by ‘The Chateau’ and other results don’t appear as visible. It is clear from the below screen snip just how much information is interconnected between business listings, Google +, Google search etc.
Reviews
This point of the article brings us to reviews. For many businesses these days (especially those relying on web based reservations and purchases) customer testimonials are paramount. Third party listing sites such as TripAdvisor provide the customer with a credible source of authority in the online realm, and often provide the tipping point for customers to push the ‘purchase/book now’ button. It should be mentioned that the Google knowledge graph, whilst in its infancy compared to TripAdvisor, should not be sneezed at. The whole point of the knowledge graph is leaning on the laziness (or ease of user interface) of searchers these days. The general online trend is that when you perform a search, every possible piece of relevant information able to be absorbed in a quick skim, should be presented without having to scroll, click, or go to the library to perform actual research.
The knowledge graph
Businesses need to be early adopters of the Google business listing/knowledge graph review system in order to stay ahead of competition.
Fresh data on Google +
With the recent Hummingbird update, and in fact many of Googles efforts to provide better search results and streamlined transparent information; regular up to date content is key. This can be performed in many ways, such as; posting fresh metrics gained from primary research that cannot be replicated by companies performing run of the mill SEO activities. Why is your business better than your competitors? Only your customer’s first-hand information can provide real life facts that can be used to portray hard data for all to see. When hard data is coupled with campaigns that seek to engage customers further, a full bodied authority driven link building exercise quickly escalates into SEO gold. Create some statistics from data gained from reception feedback questionnaires showcasing your businesses expertise, and combine that to move customers to post comments, re-post the article, and write reviews. Of course this is flawed if at any point the data is skewed in any way.
Conclusion
The array of Google tools available to businesses these days provide total visibility in search. These tools are becoming extensively streamlined and interconnected, and, a presence online can be stitched together to vastly aid SEO activities. Having a website and a listing in the local yellow pages is no longer enough. A total online presence across a range of platforms is required. Google + has often been overlooked in favour of other social media platforms, however; hopefully the above has explained why Google + should be a prerequisite for any business, when done well.
+Richard AllenSources
Anderson, M. (2013, April 8). 10 Things SEOs & SMBs Should Know About New Google Places Dashboard. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from Search Engine Land: http://searchengineland.com/10-things-seos-smbs-should-know-about-new-google-places-dashboard-154686
Enge, E., & Sullivan, D. (2013, November 11). What Everybody Missed About Hummingbird: Social Signals. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from Marketing Land: http://searchengineland.com/what-everybody-missed-about-hummingbird1-176031#!
Google. (2013, November 11). SEO Help Guide. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from Google Webmaster Tools: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35291?hl=en
Traphagen, M. (2013, November 21). How Google Plus Profiles & Pages Gain Search Authority. Retrieved January 12, 2014, from Search Engine Land: http://searchengineland.com/how-google-plus-profiles-pages-gain-search-authority-176828
Young, W. (2013, August 20). Best & Worst Ways To Influence Local SEO Rankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from Search Engine Land: http://searchengineland.com/best-worst-ways-to-influence-local-seo-rankings-169840
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