It feels like for ages the SEO team and the social media team have been in different buildings.
Or at least on different floors.
They nod at each other in the kitchen.
They both want the company to do well. But they dont really, you know, talk.
One side is obsessed with keywords and backlinks. The other is all about engagement and what’s trending.
It is a setup that seems normal but is actually pretty weird for 2025.
Because these two worlds, they’re not just neighbors anymore. They are basically roommates who need to start splitting the bills.
Thinking of them as separate is an old idea.
A really old idea.
And it’s costing you chances to get noticed.
So, Why Do People Keep Them Separate?
It’s easy to see why the confusion started. The jobs look different on the surface.
SEO is a long game. A very long game sometimes.
You write a good blog post. You do your keyword thing. You build links.
Then you wait for Google to notice you.
Social media is the opposite. It’s right now. It is instant gratification.
You post something, get likes, and move on. The results are immediate, or at least they feel that way.
The metrics are different too. SEOs are looking at rankings and organic traffic. Social media managers are counting shares, comments, and followers. They speak what feels like different languages.
This is why they stay in their lanes. It’s just simpler that way, normally.
The Big Mix-Up: How SEO and Social Actually Connect
The truth is a lot messier. And it’s where the good stuff happens.
These two areas influence each other a lot more than most people think. It’s not a direct one-to-one thing, which is why it gets confusing. It’s more of a ripple effect.
Your social media activity sends out waves.
And those waves can eventually reach the SEO shore. It is a process that is considered to be indirect but still very real.
Let’s break down a few of the ways this whole thing works.
Your Social Profile is a Search Result
This is the most obvious one.
When someone searches for your brand name, what shows up?
Your website, for sure. But also your X (Twitter) profile. Your LinkedIn page. Your Instagram. Your Facebook page.
These are often on the first page of Google. They are part of your brand’s online identity.
If those profiles are dead, or look bad, it reflects poorly on your whole operation. An active, professional-looking social profile helps build trust right from the search results page.
Social Media Feeds the Content Machine
Ever get stuck on what to write about for your blog?
Your social media is a giant idea factory.
You can listen to what people are asking. What problems are they complaining about? What topics get them all fired up in the comments?
This is what people are actually looking for.
Listen to Questions: Look at comments and direct messages. What are people constantly asking? That’s your next blog post or FAQ page right there.
Watch the Trends: What memes or topics are hot in your industry? Can you make a piece of content that taps into that conversation? This gives you a ready-made audience.
Find Your Keywords: People don’t use formal language on social media. They use natural, conversational phrases. This is a goldmine for finding long-tail keywords that your competition has probably missed.
Getting Your Stuff Seen (And Linked To)
Okay, so you wrote a fantastic 2,000-word blog post.
It’s perfectly optimized. It answers every question.
If you just hit publish and walk away, it’s like a tree falling in the forest. Did it even happen?
This is where social media comes in. It’s your megaphone.
When you share your content on social platforms, you are doing a few things. You’re getting immediate traffic. People are clicking and reading. This sends a little ping to Google that says “Hey, people are interested in this page.”
More importantly, you are putting your content in front of other creators. Other bloggers, journalists, and people with websites.
If they see it and like it, they might link to it in their own work. And those backlinks are still a massive deal for SEO. Without social promotion, those people would probably never have seen your amazing post. Your content gets a stage big and bright.
Practical Ways to Make Them Work Together in 2025
Let’s get down to some actual things you can do. This isn’t just theory.
You can start making changes that get these two teams, or these two parts of your brain if you do it all yourself, working together. It is about creating a system.
Repurpose Everything: Your blog post can become a Twitter thread. A Twitter thread can become an Instagram carousel. A section of your blog post can become a TikTok video. Don’t just create once. Remix and reuse your content for each platform.
Use Social Ads for SEO: Have a blog post that’s ranking number 4 for a really good keyword? Run some cheap social media ads pointing to that post. The extra traffic and engagement can sometimes be the little push it needs to jump to the number one spot.
Build a Community, Not Just an Audience: A community talks back. They create their own content. Encourage user-generated content (UGC). When users post pictures with your product and tag you, it’s social proof and brand building. This leads to more people searching for your brand name directly, which Google loves.
Put Social Share Buttons on Your Site: This is an old one but it’s still true. Make it super easy for people who like your content to share it with their friends. Don’t make them work for it.
How Do You Know if It’s Working?
Measuring the direct impact can be a bit tricky, which is part of the problem.
You can’t just say “this one tweet got us to rank number one.” It doesn’t work that way.
Instead, you have to look for patterns.
Look in your Google Analytics. Check your Referral traffic. Are you getting a steady stream of visitors from Facebook or Pinterest? That’s a good sign.
Another thing to watch is your branded search volume. Are more people typing your company’s name directly into Google over time? An active and interesting social media presence is often a big reason for that kind of growth. It is a sign that you are building a brand, not just a website.
Ultimately, it’s about looking at the big picture. Is your overall online presence growing? Are both your social and search traffic numbers going up and to the right? If so, then whatever you’re doing is probably working.
FAQs About SEO and Social Media
How can SEO and social media work together?
They work together indirectly. Social media helps get your content seen by more people, which can lead to more backlinks and traffic. That traffic and brand attention can show search engines that your site is popular and relevant.
Do links from Facebook or X help my SEO?
Not directly. Links on most social platforms are “nofollow,” meaning they don’t pass authority like a regular link from a blog. But they do drive real people to your site, and that traffic is a positive signal.
Which social media platform is the best for SEO?
The one where your customers are. If you’re a B2B company, LinkedIn might be your best bet. If you sell visual products, Instagram and Pinterest are great. The key is to be where you can get real engagement from the right people.
Does having more followers help me rank higher on Google?
No, Google doesn’t look at your follower count. But, having more followers means more people will see your content when you share it, which increases the chance of getting traffic and natural backlinks. So it helps, just not directly.
Is social media a direct Google ranking factor?
No, it’s generally not considered to be a direct ranking factor. Google has said this many times. But the things that happen because of social media—like increased brand awareness, more traffic, and earning backlinks—are all things that absolutely do affect your rankings.
Key Takeaways
Stop thinking of SEO and social media as separate jobs. They are two parts of the same marketing engine.
Your social profiles are part of your search results. Keep them active and looking good.
Use social media as a place to find new content ideas and keywords by listening to what your audience is actually talking about.
Promoting your SEO content on social channels is essential for getting traffic and earning the backlinks you need to rank.
The connection isn’t always a straight line. Look at referral traffic and branded search growth to see the combined effect.
