Social media and Google+ 2012@FreshEgg@PaulChaloner#FreshEgg#SearchLondon

• What does social media really drive?

• The increasing influence of social search

• Google+ recent changes (+/-)

• Google Local & other updates

• Practical takeaways

What will the presentation include?

What does social media help drive?An introduction to the core drivers

• Likes, fans, follows, friends, shares, recommendations• Website traffic• Revenue, turnover, profit• Improved ranking positions in search engines• Exceptional customer service• Reputation• User generated content• Greater brand awareness• A diverse and natural looking link profile• Improved products and services

What can great social media drive?

Social searchThe increasing influence of social media on search

Over the last 14 months, the search landscape has changed dramatically. Social media is not only an important part of a search campaign, but is now ESSENTIAL for success.Some of the changes include:

• Google+ and its estimated 400million users• Influence on rankings• Natural link profiles• Additional traffic

Social search changes

• Dave Coplin (Head of search at Bing) says: “Be bloody good at social”

• Both Google and Bing have admitted that the amount of followers you have in social media is part of the algorithm, but its about much more than just followers.

• Speed of sharing• Reach of sharing• Freshness of content• Unique, quality, relevant content• Pierre Farr (Google) says “social sharing will happen naturally if

you create good content”

What is replacing/adding to link factors?

• Use the right tools to measure & monitor• One good idea is sometimes all it takes• Plan & prepare• Seeding is exceptionally important• Integrate everything• Budget and time• Customer expectation has exploded• If customers contact you on a digital format, respond digitally! • Only use the most appropriate platforms• Fully utilise social search

Social media considerations

Essential tools to measure & monitor for free*

What does lack of integration look like?

What does FULL integration look like?

The explosion in customer expectation

It’s no longer enough to be present on social media sites, customers expect so much more in 2012

Google+ recent changesTumbleweed+ or search saviour?

• Google+ Local replaces “Google places”• Profile images & cover photo(s)• Rel=author• Events• Voice enabled iOS Google+ local• Hangout improvements• Google+ history • Check-ins in local+• Enhanced SERP listings• Zagat implementation

Google+ recent changes

• It’s very broken• Zagat is now important (meaning reviews are)• Multiple systems for some businesses• Double listings are common• Controlling your page is semi broken• Dashboard still in place for “places”• Business pages stay independent• No punchD - yet

Google+ local

Google+ local - Where is it all going?

• Undoubted social influence on SERPS• Authorship increasing CTR• Impossible for companies to ignore due to SEO benefits• Multi site integration (YouTube, gmail, plus all sync up)• Logged in search reduces SEO reliance, but increases social• iOS updates have made voice activated local a great opportunity• 400 million users by year end, make it the 3rd largest platform in

the world.• Check-ins and reviews are now even more important to your local

listing• 13-18 year olds now allowed on Google+ (restricted)

Plus or minus?

• 3.3 minutes average site usage in the whole of January• Poor adoption in the UK, despite advertising on TV• Reluctance of users to switch from Facebook or use more than

one/two platforms• Games• The family & friend issue• Demographics• Tumbleweed+• Logged in search reduces SEO benefit• Local is a real mess right now

Plus or minus?

Social sweet spots & Google+ takeawaysThe obligatory TLDR section

• Be creative but realistic• Plan• Set goals & objectives• You can never have enough social media seeding• Engage with high profile, well followed, respected users• Piggy back other campaigns or trends• Measure the success• Review the campaign to learn for next time• Integrate & sync everything! Social media touches everything!• Don’t ignore Google+ (even if it is a bit pants)

Some social sweet spots

• Optimise brand pages• Post regular and often • Engage, interact, respond• Link your G+ page to your website• Implement REL=Author for improved CTR• Make sure local is completed and linked• If appropriate, prompt for reviews on Zagat in store• Hold a hangout once a month• Share other content, not just your own• Claim your URL!

Google+ takeaways

FARQFreshnessAmplificationRelevancyQuality

And finally…

QuestionsFire away!