SMO is an abbreviation for Social Media Optimization, which means internal optimization of a website, online store, portal. What does it include? This is working with content, interface, and usability, redesigning.
For what? The main thing is to establish the relationship of the resource with social networks "remotely", that is, without being included in the network itself. The second is to increase the socialization of the site and make it user-friendly.
What is SMO (Social Media Marketing):
SMO marketing means activities aimed at attracting targeted traffic, usually from social networks. This is done through such tools as unique content, customization of the interface for social networks.
For example, on the site using widgets, you can set the display of group members in social networks, place buttons for a quick transition. By placing the comment widget "like in Twitter" under the blog article, you can increase user engagement. People like to communicate online and when they see similar functionality on the site, in 90% of cases they will leave a comment.
Social media optimization has become one of the techniques for website promotion based on social marketing. American experts Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman first used it as a tool for building the image of a service, product, brand among users of social networks. Having received the result, marketers have combined the principles of SEO SMO for website promotion.
#1 What does an SMO Specialist do?
The duties of the employee include attracting traffic from social networks, keeping visitors on the site with the help of relevant, relevant, interesting content. Accordingly, the specialist solves the following tasks:
1. He writes interesting material himself or finds authors, posts it on the networks. The content format can be very different: text, post, video, podcasts (audio), images. All "white" ways are used to stand out among competitors and make the service, product, brand recognizable.
2. Works together with marketers, designers on the usability of the resource from the standpoint of social promotion. For example, he thinks over the ways of comfortable interaction of site visitors with social networks - “share” buttons, fields for comments, and so on.
3. Analyzes metrics for attracting traffic from social networks and user engagement in the project. Thinks over a loyalty program for active members: incentives, bonuses, special offers.
The services of specialists are used by companies, brands, online stores, services, agencies - small and large businesses that need promotion in social networks.
#2 A Professional in SMO must have a number of skills:
Know the peculiarities of working with the public, groups, channels; be able to find or create interesting material; be savvy in advertising and marketing; have the ability to communicate effectively.
The fundamental difference between SEO and SMO is that the first tool works to attract the target audience from Yandex and Google search results, and the second from social networks. Approaches to optimizing the resource differ: there for robots, PS, and here it is adjusted for people.
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SMM (Social Media Marketing) advertises a website, product, or service in social networks in various ways: targeting, posting in public, native, viral advertising.
SMO (Social Media Optimization) does not focus on all this - its task is to optimize the site to attract more users from social networks. Everything. Direct or disguised advertising is not included in the function of this tool.
#3 SMO Benefits in Business:
1. It is immediately clear by what request a user comes from a social network. For example, in SEO, traffic is attracted through search engines and it is not always clear what kind of information a visitor is coming for. SMO has more options to flesh out what you want to convey to your audience.
2. Using the options "share", "leave a comment", visitors can publish links to content in their groups, accounts - this increases engagement and attracts more loyal users. It looks like a viral promotion, but without any advertising on social networks.
3. Coming to the site, users are sure that they will find the information they need. Work on the SMO model is just focused on creating useful content, so users are more willing to get involved in the project. This increases the position of the site in the search results. Traffic from SEO in most cases needs to be “warmed up”, since a person may not find the necessary information upon request, quickly close the page. Accordingly, refusals reduce the site's position in the search engine.
4. Promotion of video content is best done with SMO tools - involved participants will spread information faster through social media than through other channels.
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The main disadvantage of socialization in Runet is the lack of specialists. This type of marketing requires good skills in various fields and requires a lot of work. Promotion is more expensive.
#4 How do I perform SMO?
Social media marketers recommend the following site socialization options:
• Use a variety of content. This is one of the principles of SMO - the material should be different: video, audio, text, images, interactive elements, etc.
• Design your content “tasty” and competently. Typography, principles of readability, convenience, minimalism in design - all this increases the comfort of reading, which means it increases the engagement of visitors.
• SMO promotion is also the optimization of the site interface. Place “share” blocks, social media buttons in prominent places on the page, link articles among themselves.
• Add a lead form so your visitor can quickly subscribe to your newsletter. Decorate them in an original and noticeable way.
• Place a "leave a comment" field under each article, moderate, reduce spam manually, or using plugins. Answer questions from visitors, that is, act as if you are communicating with friends or colleagues on social networks.
• Delete or transfer to the archive irrelevant information, pages of little use.
#5 Types of Promotion Mistakes in SMO:
There are a number of common mistakes that are made when optimizing a website:
1. The topic of the community in social networks does not coincide with the direction of the business, the content on the site.
2. Content that is similar or poorly designed.
3. Intrusive PR, a lot of advertising.
4. Uninteresting articles with complex terminology.
5. Wrong timing for publications.
6. Ignoring visitors' questions.
7. Poor engagement with subscribers.
8. There are no socialization widgets on the site - buttons, group members, comment forms.
9. Wrong choice of the target audience.
Conclusion:
We found out that SMO promotion is about attracting, retaining, and building connections between social media participants and a commercial website. Effective promotion, as always, is a combination of methods. Therefore, use social marketing tools, SEO, and advertising together.