Social media marketing’s influence on SEO is somewhat tangential, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored altogether. If you’re a social media professional, you should be aware of different SEO tools and how they can be utilized to share “viral” content that will boost your ranking on Google. 

SEO doesn’t have to be boring or as technical as some people think. Some of the best practices for boosting your business’ SEO include optimizing images, using unique descriptions, and publishing incredible content. 

Sound familiar? Those are also some of the best ways to boost your social media presence. By utilizing the right tools and a few creative techniques, you can improve your SEO, boost your website’s Google ranking, and stay well within your social media comfort zone while doing it. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three SEO tools you should know about — and how you can start implementing them right away.

 

1. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a major player in the world of SEO. They’re known for providing businesses with an all-in-one SEO toolset that includes: 

• Website audits;
• Keyword ideas;
• Competitor backlinks;
• Content ideas;
• Rankings. 

Keywords are an important tool for SEO marketing, but they’re just as essential for social media. Ahrefs can help you optimize your social media posts by letting you know which topics and themes are currently popular. You can use those overarching themes, as well as specific keywords, to draw people to your social media pages and beyond. Not only is it a great way to boost engagement, but it can help to make you more visible to influencers and brand ambassadors who can really give your social media presence a lift. 

Ahref’s Content Explorer will also help to ensure that you aren’t using overly promotional or shallow content that isn’t resonating with your readers. It’s a big SEO mistake that far too many businesses make when trying to improve their rankings. With the right topics and voice, you can create blog posts for your website that are relevant and easy to share on social media and platform posts that will link people back to your site.

You can receive access to Ahref’s webmaster tools for free, but your abilities are limited. Thankfully, their “Lite” version starts at just $99.

Pros

• User-friendly
• Provides keyword searches for multiple platforms
• A great way to spot untapped keywords

Cons

• No mobile app for on-the-go work
• Sluggish interface
• Weak customer support

2. Inkybee

Inkybee combines keyword searches with social media influencers. You can use keyword searches on just about any of the popular social media platforms to find influencers in your niche that are willing to work with you. 

Inkybee will also give you data on SEO, engagement, and other blog articles on the internet covering subjects related to your business and content. You’ll be able to see what’s working for other people’s websites as well as their social media platforms, so you can emulate it and keep track of any outreach process for backlinks more closely. Doing so can make it easier to effectively plan your next social media campaign and cater it to the right target audience. 

Inkybee offers three plans, starting at $79/month and going up to $249/month for larger teams. 

Pros

• Ongoing blog discovery
• Influencer opportunities
• More influencer options in less time

Cons

• Uses encrypted services, so it’s difficult to measure relationships with influencers unless you’ve spoken with them directly.

3. Rank Ranger

As the name suggests, Rank Ranger allows you to keep track of keyword rankings so you can determine which ones might drive the most traffic to your website. From a social media standpoint, the program has a feature that monitors engagement across all of your social media platforms. 

When it comes to creating successful social media campaigns, Rank Ranger helps by providing a variety of insights, including page views, visits, and popular content. You can then optimize your social content to fit the needs and wants of your target audience and use similar tones on your website to boost traffic. It’s a great way to create viral content that people are looking for on all platforms, including ones that show up in search engine results. 

You can get a free trial of Rank Ranger by signing up. After that, their SEO plans start at $79/month and can cost all the way up to $2,700/month for premium services. 

Pros

• Strong customer service
• Customizable reports
• Ranking data uploads quickly 

Cons

• User interface can be difficult to understand
• Lacks features and additional useful tools

 

When you’re a social media practitioner, SEO might not immediately be on your radar. However, the two can work together to boost your social platforms as well as your website, strengthening your brand and your business identity. Take the time to learn more about the SEO tools that you can utilize with social media, and you’ll streamline your strategies and improve your business’s search engine ranking all at once. 

 

Author: Adrian Johansen

Adrian Johansen is a writer and marketer in the Pacific Northwest. She sees life as an opportunity for learning, and loves to share knowledge with others. You can find more of her work here.