SMO is the acronym for Social Media Optimization (or optimization). The SMO refers to all the techniques and actions intended to develop the visibility, image and offer of a website or a brand on social networks or media.
The term SMO is inspired by the widely known one of SEO and was originally used when it was believed that social popularity could play an important role in SEO. The SMO then seemed to be a compliment or a component of SEO. SMO is now a somewhat heterogeneous digital marketing “discipline” with varied content. It is difficult to delimit.
Who is the SMO for?
Social Media Optimization is aimed at all companies, brands, organizations or individuals who wish to benefit from the best possible visibility on social networks and by extension, on the internet in general. The SMO is the ideal way to control your communication on social networks and ensure the visibility of your messages. It primarily concerns companies operating exclusively on the Internet (pure players) and more generally, structures for which the Internet represents a lever for notoriety and the acquisition of new customers.
What are the objectives of the SMO?
The objectives of Social Media Optimization respond above all to communication and marketing issues.
In communication:
- Increase its notoriety.
- Decline the values of your brand online.
- Use another discussion channel with your community.
The dialogue it opens with the brand’s followers can generate valuable feedback and innovative co-creation possibilities.
In marketing:
- Acquire traffic to your site.
- Generate new leads.
- Refine your customer knowledge.
- Optimize your marketing actions according to your targets.
What are the main social networks?
Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg’s company has demonstrated its ability to adapt over the years and now has the largest number of users. The most unmissable of must-sees.
Twitter: a major social network, it is one of the strongest in terms of brand/user interactions, and the favoured social network for influencers. Its acquisition of Periscope keeps it in the major trend of live video and expands its offering. A pillar to absolutely takes into account.
YouTube: Google’s video platform was able to respond first to the growing demand for video media, creating new creative uses and formats, far from the historic television set. Slightly declining since the advent of direct on Facebook or Periscope, it is nonetheless important if your activity is focused on video communication.
Instagram: On the “Picture marketing” side, a major trend for many years, Instagram (acquired by Facebook) has made its place and established itself as a must thanks to its image filters and its strong community of bloggers/influencers. To be preferred rather than Pinterest, without the one and the other being mutually exclusive.
Snapchat: the first social network to invent the limited lifespan of its publications continues to convince young people, always looking for new messaging, far from adults. Depending on your target, it may be interesting to invest.
How to optimize your presence on social networks?
There is no secret: a good social presence requires investing brainpower and time. To be visible on topics directly related to your structure, you must:
- Position yourself on social networks targeting your audience.
- Integrate conversations on topics essential to your business.
- Create relevant content.
What is community management?
Community Management is the act of creating or taking charge of the social media strategy and applying it. It can be carried out by a single person or a dedicated team as needed.
The main actions are as follows:
- Create relevant social accounts for your business.
- Moderate comments and carry out a daily strategic watch.
- Create dedicated content for your social accounts (writing, computer graphics, photo, video).
- Measure performance to refine the editorial line and improve the SMO strategy.
- Identify the ambassadors of your brand, offer them an exchange of visibility.
- Set up advertising campaigns on social networks to reach specific targets.
The first ambassador of your brand on social networks, the community manager does not act alone in his corner. It must be included in the marketing and communication strategy to extend it to digital.
What are the professions related to the SMO?
Your community manager or social media manager (experienced community manager, more focused on strategy) is at the crossroads of several strategic departments of the company. He must be in direct contact with several stations to coordinate his action:
- Marketing director
- Communication director
- Responsible for sales administration
- After-sales service
- Web service
From a more operational point of view, the community manager will work alongside:
- From the communications manager (to adapt digital messages)
- The SEO / SEA manager (to define the themes and keywords)
- From the webmaster (for redirects to the site from social networks)
- Web project managers (for needs more specific to a theme)
- Web editors (to define and follow the production of articles)
- Graphic designers (to create eye-catching visuals)
- Photographers or videographers (to create enriched content)
What is a good community manager?
A good community manager is above all someone open, listening to his colleagues to understand the needs and translate them into social media strategy. He must be methodical while being proactive and creative.
Effective community management also requires education, both internally with employees and with the various service providers.
Finally, he will be able to demonstrate self-criticism when analyzing the results of his efforts to propose new directions if necessary because social media is constantly evolving. His curiosity will keep him abreast of new trends and new opportunities.
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