Social media optimization (SMO) is the use of a number of social media outlets and communities to generate publicity to increase the awareness of a product, brand or event. Social media is a very viable forum nowadays for promoting a brand or selling a product. With the help of social media people from all around the world will gather knowledge about the products and services and is the best marketing forum at this moment. Social media optimization is becoming an increasingly important factor in search engine optimization, as search engines are increasingly utilizing the recommendations of users of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+ to rank pages in the search engine result pages.

Tips for better social media optimization

1.     Reaching out to the audience: Attracting the audience is the key factor to social network optimization. A social media having a two way communication facility, one can reach out to the potential customers even in one-to-one conversations for a better understanding of the product.

2.     Visual updates: Social media helps you not only put up the details of the products and services one wishes to market. Social media helps you put up detailed images of such objects for a better understanding of the general public. As a result of this people ordering products online will be able to actually see what they are buying.

3.     Consistent branding across channels: Both established and upcoming brands can get value out of promoting them on social media. These brands are popularized with their various logos and also with video advertisements on the social network.  Brands like Nike, Adidas etc. uploads videos of their latest advertisements on social networking sites like YouTube to attract sports-related targets.

4.     Hyperlink from profile pages: Hyperlink at times leads the interested customers to the official sites of a few brands. Profile pages should always contain a few hyperlinks in order to redirect the customers to the websites one wishes the potential customers to visit.

5.     Reciprocate: At times only putting up a detailed advertisement is not enough. One needs to follow that up with consistent reciprocation. For example, if a person follows your page on Twitter, follow him/her back, retain new followers on twitter. Promote your page on Facebook by liking brand pages that follows you.

6.     Tag other users: Tagging other users to a photo or an article increases your chance of attracting more customers. By tagging other users you are directly inviting them to have a look at your page as when you tag them they will be notified by the social media itself.

7.     Learn the tricks and trade of each network: Each and every social media is unique. The tricks of effective communication in each and every social media should be learnt in order to deal with all types of customers.

8.     Prompt response: Response to any grievances of any customers should be taken care of as soon as possible for an effective marketing. After sales services should be quick and effective.