The importance of Facebook in SEO
When it comes to market penetration using search engine optimization strategies, the key issue is certainly mass movement. The tribe mentality—a unified consciousness—creates a highly mobile community that moves in the same direction at the same time, and learning how to capitalize on this mentality has been a major benefit to search engine marketers. When Facebook launched in 2006 it crept quietly onto the already experienced battlefield dominated by the likes of Myspace, and could have easily been dismissed. However, recent developments have circulated several Facebook-centered conversations that have, in turn, awakened an awareness of internet marketers.
This open source, web 2.0 world we live in is a forgiving one, but it still poses significant problems for search engine marketers. As important as it is to create solid relationships in any business, digital interfacing and the short life of most projects deter the opportunity to invest and develop in said relationships. Facebook has been able to change this dynamic, resembling the everyday techniques to building relationships: by allowing only your “friends” access to your personal information and connecting you with other members that are located near you. As with real life, you also have the option of sharing your information or keeping it private, as well searching out people in other areas.
Facial recognition is important to developing interpersonal relationships as it identifies you as a person worthy of connection and reminds of the experiences you share with other people. Facebook captures this with their messaging interface as your friends will see your profile picture when contacting (or receiving contact from) you. Also, you do not receive spam in your Facebook (or rather, you choose which types of advertisements you would like—from organizations with information you actually want!). When you get a friend request, you are able to choose whether or not you want to “develop” this relationship based on your previous experience or recent knowledge of this person.
When a friend of yours updates their status or posts a link, or changes something, you are automatically notified through your update feed. Uniting your “network” with these updates removes the tediousness of asking the obvious question of “what have you been up to?” (etc) and can expedite the process of familiarity. If someone in your network participates in a charity or adds a game or application, you are also notified so that you can join them if it’s something you enjoy as well. As this is the web, you also always have the freedom to explore on your own.
Albeit many people spend an inordinate amount of time on Facebook brewing over trivial matters or dedicating a significant amount of time inside their applications or groups, which doesn’t necessarily help them (or you) build a business. The social networking aspect, though, is what you should focus on as it will allow you to reach more people in less time than has ever been possible without these networks. Again, you have the freedom to seek these people out through the leg work of expanding your network through your friends’ contacts, or you could join a group and unify a movement, making it easier to communicate to a mass of people at once.
If you use Linked-In, you may be asking why you should complement or replace your activity there with Facebook. These communities are set up quite differently and could be used for separate purposes or to approach different types of people. Linked-In is extremely basic and is almost like a resume sharing site, but with a social network component. It brings together people for employment or business projects. Facebook has far more freedom and lets you create an online identity through your network. Also, you increase the likelihood of a quality connection using the personal interfacing of Facebook because you know more immediately the interests of your community members.
Facebook is the place to be, whether a casual gamer, social-media-enthusiast, or SEO marketer—especially if you are a marketer: If you aren’t on Facebook, you’re out of the loop.
