Why explain what something is when you can give examples of it?

What is SEO 2 or social SEO in other words?

I tried to explain it numerous times over the years.

Yet enough of this babble. It’s time to shut up and show what it means!

It reminds me of mansplaining, the typically manly type of explanation.

It’s talking down on people (not just women) instead of pointing them to the obvious reality they can fathom themselves.

What is SEO 2 or social SEO?

I won’t explain it in length again in this post.

Let me introduce it with just one sentence:

In other words I just call it modern SEO beyond mere search (engine optimization).

Many nowadays refer to modern SEO even as search everywhere optimization.

This includes social media, chatbots, review sites, and ecommerce platforms.

No matter what you think SEO is not just about Google.

Examples of SEO 2 techniques from me and other blogs

Here is a list of SEO 2 (or social SEO) examples in no particular order.

Link magnets

Link magnets are irresistible pieces of content that make other publishers refer to you (as a source).

Unique study results or data backed insights are among such high demand types of content.

Yet they don’t guarantee you get links just because you publish them.

Only link magnets done right are really SEO 2.

They are effective when approached in a long term way as my colleague Ann Smarty does it:

Linkable assets (also referred to as link magnets) are meant to attract links, not necessarily your actual customers.

Otherwise a site covering your insights may get all the credit or worse chatbots just regurgitate it without even mentioning you.

Online reputation management

Online reputation management (ORM) also is a common social SEO best practice.

Ideally you don’t just react once a crisis hits and the Web spews hate.

When possible you build a positive image based on authentic engagement.

Helping communities both online and in real life can benefit your business standing in various ways.

Popularity among your favorite demographic is one of them.

Just consider engaging on Reddit in a genuine way for starters.

WordPress

The world’s most popular content management system by a wide margin, WordPress, is about seocial SEO as well.

Do you publish on WordPress already?

Then you may have noticed that the software is less supportive of community and blogging features nowadays.

Originally it was enough to use WP and you pinged other blogs that linked to or search engines automatically.

Nowadays you need to ensure that level word of mouth manually or via additional tools like WebSub.

You may also want to take a look into webmentions or other linkbacks among other IndieWeb technologies.

WP supports all of these by way of some plugins.

The long tail

The long tail concept is based on a popular book.

Yet it has been widely adopted by the search community.

It usually refers to long tail keywords with more than three words in them. Thus it’s rather about key phrases:

Instead of just focusing on huge informational queries like [seo] with overwhelming competition you focus on specific queries.

Ideally those also have a buying intent. Mere information can be served by AI chatbots already.

There is no need to visit your site then.

SMO

SMO as in social media optimization was the most popular term to refer to ensuring you get found and heard on social sites.

Nowadays there are various other, social media management and social media marketing being the more common ones.

Yet social media is still an important prerequisite of showing up on the Web.

I even go as far to say social SEO is one thing and that social media is an integral part of it.

Also AI search engines still often look up social media when summarizing who you are and what you do.

Business blogging

When I refer to business blogging I don’t talk about publishing content an on WordPress site.

Blogging is a subjective art of seeing and describing the world from your unique vantage point.

Many business blogs are merely AI generated slop wastelands nowadays.

That’s not it. “Humanizing” bot content does not help much. It may even look phony.

Be your authentic self and share your one of a kind views!

I have blogged for numerous businesses over the decades.

Believe it or not I could even write about natural rug cleaning in an enticing way!

You don’t have to be boring, even when covering a boring topic like SEO!

Diversification

Diversification of traffic and revenue sources is one of the core ideas of SEO 2.

When you just focus on Google you are doomed once Google demotes or penalizes you.

Thus you need various income streams from subscribers ideally but also direct visitors, social media users and other search tools.

Buzz

Buzz or guerrilla marketing is one of the less popular but often more successful methods of spreading the word.

Some of it is obnoxious and interruptive.

Yet some of it is truly creative and can make your day.

It’s usually better than just capturing attention by plastering websites and cities with ads.

People hate ads usually but they love proper SEO 2.

A proper GM campaign can even spread virally.

Yet don’t just trick people or disrupt events.

That can lead to a backlash of epic proportions.

While sometimes “any publicity is good publicity” in other cases that may backfire portraying you as unethical and fake.

In SEO 2 we don’t fake it we create win win situations for all parties involved.

Altruism

Human nature rewards generosity.

Thus giving before receiving is the fundamental approach of SEO 2.

Instead of cold emailing people and asking for favors you do something for them first.

Only then they will do something for you, often on their won accord.

They will simply reciprocate as it’s a basic tenet of our psychology.

When you get a gift you are grateful usually.

That way many people with say thank you by spreading the word or doing something else for you.

More about the examples

Want to see deeper insights on the actual examples?

Just follow the links above to read about them on SEO 2 and elsewhere.

Some links are outbound so make sure to come back to this tab later on haha.

Can I help you creating such opportunities at a low budget?

Feel free to contact me or check out my services page.

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