How Social Media Marketing is Just “Like” The NFL

Share on Facebook Share on TwitterPosted on March 30, 2017 by Dennis Lewis

Social media is by far one of the most effective tools used in sales. It gives companies the opportunity to educate, connect with and build on their relationships with prospects and customers. It also allows for a more fun, casual exchange of ideas between other industry professionals. Social media is a powerful marketing tool, but it’s very time-consuming; liking, following, commenting, and engaging in constant online interaction can get tedious. But it seems that Google is finally answering our prayers.

If you’ve considered slacking on your social media spirit, reconsider; Google now rewards those who regularly create content and engage with their social networks.

The logic behind Google’s philosophy boils down to “social signals.” Social signals are likes, shares and comments. Every time someone “likes” a post on your page, Google counts it as a social signal. It may be your experience that “likes” don’t always equate to sales; but if we look at the bigger picture, the one with Google steering the ship, all your “likes” can earn you a higher ranking in the cluttered seas of search. Google essentially endorses companies who participate heavily in the social media conversation. And public endorsements are golden to any business.

To better explain Google’s social signal formula, we turn to the NFL. The scoring system used in football demonstrates the emphasis Google places on each social signal. The rating system ends up looking something like this:

• 1 Like = 1 point (extra point)
• 1 Comment = 3 points (field goal)
• 1 Share = 6 points (touchdown)

The Like

In the NFL, one of the easiest ways to score is to simply get an extra point. The same goes for the like button. It’s the simplest way of engaging in social media. One click acknowledges your approval or acceptance of something – and brings you that much closer to Google’s radar.

The Comment

A field goal is akin to a comment. Comments require a bit more work than likes, but the points are a bit higher. People are more likely to comment on a post than share it, therefore it’s social signal is stronger than a like, but weaker than a share.

The Share

The ultimate reward for publishing great content on your social media assets. This social signal is the mother of all social signals. Not only is a share one of the best types of signals, it’s an endorsement of you, your product or service and your company. Since 75% of purchases are influenced though the opinions of friends and family, a share is equivalent to a word of mouth referral. And we all know how much businesses love word of mouth referrals.

The most important takeaway of the game? More points lead to a higher chance of victory. If you kick 10 field goals during the game, and the other team can only muster two touchdowns… Well, you do the math.

So in football, the more points they earn, the higher their team scores, and the closer they come to victory. Online, the more interaction we have, and the more engaging content (link to NRO Content that connects) we put out, the more nods we get from Google. And to be endorsed by the most powerful search engine in the world? Well, that is a victory in itself.

A word of caution: Do not blog or post on social media haphazardly – you’ll only get haphazard results. Post with purpose and meaning. Engage freely and openly. If you have trouble coming up with interesting posts, think about the time of year; what are your prospects engaging in right now? Is their pain seasonal or constant? These questions will help you create content that your prospects want to read and, more importantly; help your company score some winning touchdowns.

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March 30, 2017