3 beginners' tips for social media optimisation

Social media optimisation (SMO) is as key to the success of your online presence, as search engine optimisation (SEO).

It can be the difference between a handful of website views and hundreds of thousands of views. Or the difference between leaving great content unseen and same content going viral.

Optimising your website with search terms for Google to rank is a difficult task. This is even more so for SMEs competing against larger firms with greater resources. But it’s certainly not impossible.

To maximise your website’s SMO strategy, here are three handy tips to get you started:

1. Include social media icons on your page.

Ensure your webmaster includes links from your firm’s website to your Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter pages. One of the UKs leading law firm websites according to ‘The Legal Technology Insider’ – DLA Piper – clearly displays icons to their Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, and Xing accounts. This also encourages your firm to update your social media channels regularly.

2. Include the ability to ‘share’ content on social media.

A high number of shared links back to your website, helps improve the authority and reputation of your brand, which means a greater SEO success rate overall. This is as true for big firms as it is for smaller firms. If your content is unique and captivating, you need to provide an easy way for viewers to share it.

Perhaps you have a video you cannot wait for the World to see, or you’ve produced an infographic based on research your firm has conducted. It is here that a ‘share’ button is valuable in ensuring your content can be widely viewed.

Allen & Overy has included the ability to ‘share’ articles across several social media platforms. It’s very quick and simple and can be invaluable in evolving from having content barely viewed, to having content widely shared and commented upon.

3. Allow comments.

Whether a video, or a blog post on your website; allow visitors and customers the ability to leave comments and to interact with you. A personal touch is always appreciated and the ability to comment as well as share encourages engagement with your brand.

The key to a successful social media strategy whether directly on a social media platform like Twitter, or a blog post on the website itself, is engagement with your audience. Integrate Google+ comments into your posts, so that users can leave a comment, which in turn shows up on their Google+ account. This would then link back to your site, which is essential for SEO purposes, and creates the atmosphere of a community on your site. Make sure you monitor the comments, deleting any unpleasant contributions, and you can’t lose!

These are just three simple steps your firm can take today to begin its SMO strategy, in a profession that is only just recognising the benefits of social media for business.

With that in mind, there is no better time than the present to ensure your site is optimised for brand recognition and is able to attract new business. It is the difference between a few website views a day and being known as the go-to firm for the latest legal interactions and updates.