Do You Even Google?
Cheryl Lawson
Get ready for this chapter, “Do You Even Google?”, where we dive into the significance of search engine optimization (SEO) and how it impacts everything we do online. Our main goal? Make sure our social media posts and website content are super easy to find.
Let’s not forget platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, which have their own search engines for users to discover content. Fun fact: YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, giving birth to the term “YouTube University.”
Oh, and can we talk about “near me” searches on mobile devices? It’s a game-changer when people are hunting for products or services.
Big brain business name 🧠 pic.twitter.com/iY1lhi4gAJ
— Alicia Tatone (@AliciaTatone) March 28, 2023
As savvy business owners and marketers, we need to know how folks find us online. Sure, ROI and engagement metrics matter, but creating searchable content should be top of mind.
That means getting found on big-time search engines like Google and Bing, as well as individual social networks. And hey, let’s not forget about Google Business profiles. Though not technically social media, they can be part of our social media strategies. Pop those eye-catching social campaign creatives on your Google Business pages too! Bottom line: Optimize everything from image titles to alt text descriptions, so search engines can’t resist indexing your content.
In Class Exercise: Google yourself!
Google your name and take note of the results that show up. This activity can help you understand the importance of your online presence and how search engines present information about you. It can also encourage discussions about personal branding, digital footprints, and strategies to improve visibility in search results.
Creating SEO with Your Photos Using Flickr
Taking advantage of every SEO opportunity is crucial for your online visibility, and this includes optimizing your images. Using platforms like Flickr to host your photos allows you to enhance your photo SEO, as it provides fields for adding titles and descriptions to individual and bulk images. These additional details not only make your photos more accessible to people browsing the web but also to search engine algorithms. When uploading photos to your website, take the time to rename them using relevant keywords and phrases. This simple step ensures your images contribute positively to your website’s SEO. Remember, every bit of “search engine juice” matters, and properly optimizing your photos can give you an edge in the increasingly visual digital landscape.
Wrapping up this section, let’s discuss an invaluable tool that can help you stay informed and monitor your brand or personal brand online: Google Alerts.
Google Alerts is a free service provided by Google that allows you to set up alerts for specific keywords or phrases. When new content containing those keywords or phrases is published on the web, you’ll receive an email notification. This tool is especially useful for discovering content to share on social media platforms, as well as keeping track of mentions about your brand or personal brand.
By setting up Google Alerts for your business name, industry keywords, or even your own name, you can keep a pulse on what’s being said about you, your business, or your industry. This information can not only help you curate content to share with your audience, but it can also provide valuable insights into public perception and enable you to address any potential issues or concerns.
Furthermore, Google Alerts can be a helpful tool for competitor analysis. By monitoring your competitors’ online presence and content, you can gain insights into their marketing strategies, identify gaps or opportunities, and stay ahead of the game.
In summary, utilizing Google Alerts can be an essential part of your overall digital marketing and social media strategy. It allows you to stay informed, monitor your brand, find shareable content, and keep an eye on the competition. With just a few simple steps, you can set up alerts tailored to your needs and ensure you never miss out on vital information in the digital world.