With its 2.9 billion users, Facebook is a hotspot for successful brands. Given this, several people ask, "Does Facebook help SEO?"
Technically, Facebook doesn't impact SEO. But yes, Facebook can help SEO.
This post will explain why Facebook doesn't impact SEO and how it can help your SEO efforts.
Does Facebook Help SEO: Why Facebook Doesn’t Impact SEO
Google and Facebook have a relationship, but it's not like the one Google has with your website.
Here's the truth about backlinks: you can't get them using social media. In other words, Facebook backlinks don't matter.
Since Facebook is a social media platform, anyone can get backlinks even if their websites don't have useful content. Facebook backlinks can be abused, so Mark Z. implemented a sitewide nofollow rule.
This means that search engines like Google ignore links posted on Facebook. Given this, links on Facebook to your site likely don't impact search engine rankings.
Plus, Google doesn't consider Facebook's data when crawling the social media platform. This means that Google index some of your posts, but their overall SEO impact is negligible. People also don't expect links from Facebook to show up when they look for information on Google.
Facebook Metrics Don’t Help SEO
We hate to burst your bubble, but the following Facebook metrics have no impact on SEO:
Likes
You, your family, and your friends love it when your post gets tons of likes. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t seem to care a lot.
The reason is simple: Google can’t exactly tell where those likes came from. Did they come from your loved ones or strangers? Did you pay for those likes or did you get them for free?
Since Google can’t exactly determine the source of your likes, it simply ignores them and acknowledges more important metrics like one way links and manual outreach link building instead.
Shares
Do you love it when someone shares your post? Unfortunately, Google doesn’t seem to care again.
Shares may look fantastic, but they do not increase the authority of your page or post from Google’s perspective. It’s because people usually share posts for many reasons, not just for being relevant.
Think about the meme your close friend shared. Did they share it because it contains relevant information or because they find it funny? You know the answer.
Followers
Tons of followers may be great for your social media presence but not that much for SEO.
As much of a bragging right it might be, increasing your followers by thousands doesn't really impact your SEO campaign.
But if you put a lot of time, energy, and resources into your Facebook page, take heart. You can still benefit from it.
For one, your Facebook page can help increase your social proof. Links and social media also serve as social signals that search engines are aware of.
On top of that, you can use your Facebook page to get organic leads and convert them to paying customers. Your Facebook page can also be a hub for your customer support team.
How SEO and Facebook Are Related
Even though Google doesn't recognize backlinks from Facebook, your Facebook page and SEO are still somewhat related.
For example, readers will likely visit your page if you get more traffic because of SEO and put your Facebook page link on your footer. They will then likely become your followers and share your products with their friends.
Eventually, the traffic you get because of SEO can become Facebook traffic. This helps you build a following and relationships with your target audience.
How to Leverage Your Facebook Page for Your SEO Campaign
In its own way, Facebook works like a search engine, too. Like YouTube and Pinterest, Facebook has been a hub for information.
So while people look for relevant information on Facebook, your page might come up. Given this, you must create content relevant to your audience.
You must also keep your page information, like opening times, location, products, and services up-to-date.
Facebook and Link Building
Contrary to popular belief, social media and link building often go hand-in-hand. Your link building and social media campaigns can forge a beneficial relationship when strategically implemented.
For instance, you can put links to your blog posts on your social media page so that your target audience gets access to more relevant information. They can then easily share the links to your website pages with their friends and family.
Remember, the more people visit the website, the more relevant you become in Google's eyes. Website visits also play a role in SEO, so you better leverage your Facebook page to help get more visitors to your site.
In addition, Facebook shows business pages with a lot of engagement. The better information and links you give your followers, the more likely they will engage with your page.
At the same time, your link building campaign can increase traffic to your website. This can improve your Facebook following and make consumers trust you. If there's one thing that consumers base their purchases on, it's trust.
Conclusion
So does Facebook help SEO?
Technically, search engines like Google don't recognize the links you put on Facebook. Search engines ignore them because people can abuse them. On the other hand, links and social media platforms service social signals that search engines acknowledge. You can also use your social media page to give more exposure to your website pages.
Given these, you should not abandon your Facebook campaigns. You shouldn't give up on your SEO campaigns either.
If you need help improving your site's SEO status, we're here to help. TriBu LinkBuilding is an experienced link building outsourcing agency that has been helping business owners get backlinks through white-hat strategies that Google won't penalize. Plus, you only have to pay after we get live links for you. Contact us to jumpstart your link building success now!
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