SEO Marketing versus Social Media Marketing: Which is Better?
Is it more important to prioritize SEO marketing or social media marketing in your small business? It’s a fair question. While you may feel drawn to one area of marketing over the other, it’s important to recognize their unique strengths and differences.
Both SEO and social media can be are powerful tools for attracting and engaging audiences, but in very different ways. The good news? These approaches work together harmoniously when you put together a complementary strategy.
Let’s discuss each of these marketing strategies and explore how they can work harmoniously to help you grow your business to new heights.
What is SEO Marketing?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) marketing focuses on improving a website's visibility on search engines like Google. By optimizing content, website structure, images and more, businesses can attract people actively searching for their products or services online. This is also called organic traffic, because these people are finding you naturally (without the use of paid ads).
So what makes SEO marketing a must for small businesses? Here are a few ways implementing SEO can support your business.
SEO supports long-term visibility.
Optimizing your website and publishing SEO blogs can potentially bring you new leads for years to come. In fact, once your website ranks well for keywords (the words people commonly put in search related to your products or services) it can continue to drive traffic for months or even years. If you’re in your biz for the long run and you’d like to move up in Google search results so more people can find you, an SEO strategy would be perfect for you.
SEO attracts targeted traffic (the right-fit people who are already looking for you).
SEO connects you with users who are actively searching for what you offer, making them highly likely to convert. Think of it this way: most of the people who come across your site found it because your product or service is highly relevant to their search. They’re already looking for a solution, which means you don’t have to work as hard to sell yourself. Plus, you can let the content of your website do the talking for you, like you’re own personal 24/7 marketing machine.
SEO promotes your expertise and helps you build trust.
Have you ever thought about how authoritative the sites on page 1 of search results feels? Probably not, but it’s true. The Google algorithm trusts these websites and businesses, which makes it more likely you will too. These high-ranking websites are often perceived as more trustworthy by users, and they have the upper hand in converting them too.
SEO offers a cost-effective solution.
An expert-made, tailored to you SEO strategy isn’t free, but when compared to the high cost of running ads it can certainly save you some money in the long run. SEO requires an upfront investment, but it can deliver a strong ROI over time as traffic builds. One blog post done extremely well (optimized to the nines) can eventually bring in hundreds of leads, given a little time.
Social Media Marketing Explained
Social media marketing leverages platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to reach and engage with audiences. Your social media marketing strategy might include posting multiple times a week, posting on-trend reels, and engaging with your audience. It’s an excellent way to highlight specific offerings, foster relationships, and showcase your brand’s personality.
So what does social media marketing allow you to do well?
Social media supports real-time engagement.
Social media provides an opportunity for direct interaction with your audience, making it ideal for relationship building. You can comment and engage with other users easily and even start some more in-depth conversations in the DMs.
Social content has viral potential.
A single post or video can gain massive exposure in a short time. While going viral can do lots for exposure, just remember that virality doesn’t = targeting your most likely potential buyers, and any social media manager will tell you it’s not easy to force a post to go viral… it usually just happens.
Social media is a great place to show off your brand personality.
While some of your posts might be short and sweet, taken as a while they say a lot about you. Your social media posts can be used to show off your personality. Does your business keep things funny and light, or is your approach more serious and educational? Either way, using social media you can humanize your brand and create a community around it.
How SEO Marketing and Social Media Work Together
If you’re only focusing on SEO for your small business—or you’re fully invested in social media—you could be missing out on the secret sauce for taking your business to the next level. It’s really about bringing these two marketing aspects together into one greater, take-over-the-world marketing strategy.
Here are some examples of how SEO and social media complement each other.
Positioning yourself as the expert with ease.
I can’t recommend blogging for small businesses enough. Publishing one blog post on your website provides tons of reusable content for your business. Take this post for example: I will probably take pieces of it to create multiple carousels, reels, and posts for my GBP. That not only saves time creating posts, but creating new blog posts often means I won’t run out of material anytime soon. It’s the most effective way to easily show off your expertise in both marketing arenas.
Amplifying content reach.
An optimized website and SEO’d Google Business Profile will grab attention from leads. I know when I’m searching for a business online and I hit their website, I almost always check out their social media. Their website, and how well it’s done, legitimizes their business. But their social media gives me a quick snapshot of who they are. It also usually spills whether or not they’re active in their business (most active businesses are update social media regularly).
But social media can also drive traffic back to your website. The people who want to learn more about your services will probably seek out your website for more information. When you have a branded, optimized site that speaks to your audience, it can help them transition from follower to client.
Gaining valuable insights and data.
Insights from social media analytics can inform your SEO strategy, and vice versa. Your Google Analytics are a great place to dig deeper into the details of who is visiting your site, where they are hanging out on your site (and for how long) and when/where they tend to leave.
When leveraged properly, this information can be invaluable. You can also compare and contrast this information with your social media insights and see where the info aligns. This can help you create a proof-driven marketing strategy and stand in each area on a strong foundation.
Creating diverse touchpoints for introducing your business.
The online world is a big space—and while I truly believe there’s so much room at the top, it is competitive out there! Diversifying the ways your audience can find you is key. I don’t recommend spreading yourself thin and trying to do well on all platforms, but you should definitely choose 2 or 3 and go all in.
If you’re not sure which platforms to go with (website, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, etc.) consider where your ideal client is most likely to hang out.
A Balanced Approach Wins
The debate of SEO marketing versus social media marketing isn’t about which is better—it’s about understanding their unique strengths and leveraging them together. SEO builds a solid foundation for long-term success, while social media keeps your brand vibrant and engaged in the present.
For businesses looking to grow their online presence, the best strategy is a harmonious blend of the two. Start with a strong SEO strategy to ensure your website is easily discoverable. Then, amplify your reach and deepen connections through social media. When used together, these strategies create a powerhouse marketing plan that drives traffic, builds trust, and keeps your audience coming back for more.
Ready to inject a feel-good SEO strategy into your business?
