When I first got interested in SEO, I thought it would require mostly technical skills. While there are many important technical aspects to SEO like testing, conversion rates, and keyword research, I’m convinced the social aspect of SEO has become more important. And it’s getting more and more important as Google and social media sites mature.
Google’s algorithm has improved substantially in the last couple of years.
The best example I know of comes from the world of black hat SEO. Black hat SEOs, which I consider the most technical SEOs, are now giving up on their auto-generated sites. I know of one black hat SEO who used to make a ton of money with his black hat sites. In the last couple of months, he’s seen his earnings go way down. Many of his sites have been dropped from Google’s index. However, his white hat sites are consistently growing in traffic, links, and revenue. When you look at the SERPs, there is less spam. Google is doing a pretty good job returning relevant results.
Google’s algorithm is primarily based on non-manipulative links. And Google is doing a better job of detecting manipulative links. Remember when reciprocal links used to work? Google shut that down because it manipulated their algorithm. Also, Google is cracking down on paid links.
So, what does being social have to do with all this? Well, if you are social and build friendships within your industry, it’s a lot easier to get links.
For example, let’s take blogging. I choose blogging, because bloggers are more likely to link out than other webmasters. Blogging has social aspects like trackbacks and comments. If you consistently interact with other industry bloggers by commenting on their blogs and linking out to their posts, you’ll begin to develop a reputation within your industry. Your comments and trackbacks will send targeted traffic to your blog. This traffic will eventually lead to links. Also, you can notify your blogger friends whenever you publish great content. Since they’re your friends, they’ll be more likely to link to your content.
Social Media Sites
Let’s take another example. Social media sites have made the social side of SEO much more important. I believe that using social media sites offers the best ROI for your time and money. If you hit the front page of Digg or Netscape, you’ll get much traffic and many links.
However, to have a shot at the front page, you need to be social. You need to develop friendships with the social site users. They’re the ones that can vote your story to the front page. Similar to blogging, you need to interact with the social site users by voting, commenting, add them as friends, and submitting relevant stories.
4 Comments to "Underrated SEO Skill: Being Social"
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Yes, I see something like this the last year. I mostly work on white hat seo now.
This is absolutely true. Building a community of followers without using Search Engines is definitely more valuable.
Ever since I decided to make a full time living from internet marketing, I think my social skills when it comes to interacting with ‘real’ people have slowly dripped away.
Sure, I can create a webpage whch will get get a few people asking questions and responding and thats great. Whats not so good, is when the only person you speak to is your girlfriend when she gets back from home and you have nothing to say to her…
I just got a job
some thing about seo, improve website.
yeah…to be a professional seo need a lot of experience….