What Every Social Media Platform Wants for Search Engine Optimization & Social Channel Optimization (SCO) in 2024

Beyond Google: How Social Channel Optimization Can Boost Your Brand Everywhere

In today’s fast-paced digital world, optimizing for just one search engine isn’t enough to get your content noticed. Every day, an overwhelming amount of content is produced—over 500 million tweets, 95 million Instagram posts, and over 720,000 hours of video uploaded to YouTube.

With this level of competition, standing out requires more than great content alone. People no longer rely solely on Google to find information; they search on multiple platforms based on their needs. Whether it's quick tips on TikTok, tutorials on YouTube, inspiration on Pinterest, or product reviews on Amazon, each platform has its own search behavior and audience preferences.

This shift has given rise to Social Channel Optimization (SCO), also known as Search Everywhere Optimization. SCO ensures that your content is not only optimized for Google but also for social media channels, video platforms, e-commerce sites, and podcast directories where your audience spends their time.

With so much content being created every second, taking the extra step to optimize for each platform’s unique SEO requirements is what separates discoverable content from lost content. By investing in SCO, you increase your visibility, boost engagement, and ultimately grow your brand presence across the digital landscape.

SCO vs Traditional SEO: The Key Differences

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) traditionally focuses on improving rankings on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

• SCO goes beyond search engines and considers any platform with a search function as part of the optimization strategy, such as TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and podcast directories, where users search for content in different formats.

Why Is SCO Important?

1. Users Search Across Multiple Platforms: People are now turning to platforms like TikTok for quick tutorials, Pinterest for inspiration, or Amazon for product searches, not just Google.

2. Tailoring Content: Each platform has unique algorithms and content types. SCO ensures your content is visible and relevant across these different platforms.

3. Wider Reach: By optimizing everywhere, you increase your chances of getting found by a broader audience.

Optimizing for Key Social Platforms

Google SEO Wants:

1. Focus Keyword: Primary keyword for the page or post.

2. Title Tag (H1): Main title including the focus keyword, under 60 characters.

3. Meta Description: 150-160 character summary, incorporating the focus keyword.

4. Alt Text for Images: Descriptive text for images, including keywords.

5. URL Slug: Short, descriptive part of the URL that includes the focus keyword.

6. H2 & H3 Headings: Subheadings using variations of the focus keyword.

7. Internal Links: Links to other pages on your website.

8. External Links: Links to reputable external sources.

9. Content Length: At least 300-500 words for better ranking.

10. Mobile Optimization: Ensure fast loading and responsiveness.

11. Structured Data: Use schema markup for rich snippets.

12. Canonical Tags: Prevent duplicate content issues.
    

Wix SEO Wants:

1. Focus Keyword: What is the focus keyword for this blog?

2. Alt Text for Images: Write alt text for every image, including focus keywords.

3. H2 & H3 Headings: Rewrite headings to incorporate focus keywords.

4. Meta Description: Write a 150-character description using the focus keyword.

5. Excerpt: Create a 140-character excerpt of the blog post.

6. Body Text: Rewrite a body paragraph to include the focus keyword naturally.

7. URL Slug: Create a short URL slug using the focus keyword.

8. Tag Categories: Create a list of relevant categories for the blog.

9. Tags: Suggest tags for better searchability.

10. Hashtags: Write a list of hashtags for social promotion.

11. Keywords: Suggest a list of keywords for the blog post.
    

Pinterest SEO Wants:

1. Pin Title: A catchy title using focus keywords and max of 100 characters.

2. Pin Description: Write a pin description (up to 500 characters) using relevant keywords.

3. Image Alt Text: Use descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for the image.

4. Board Categories: Choose the right category and subcategory for the pin.

5. Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags, no more than 20, focused on niche and popular keywords.

6. Focus Keyword: Incorporate focus keywords into pin title and description.

7. URL Link: Ensure it links back to a blog post or relevant content on your site.

8. Keywords in Boards: Add relevant keywords to board titles and descriptions for SEO.
   

Instagram SEO Wants:

1. Post Caption: Write engaging captions including focus keywords.

2. Hashtags: Use up to 30 relevant hashtags; include trending and niche-specific ones.

3. Alt Text for Images: Write descriptive alt text that includes relevant keywords.

4. Focus Keyword: Use it in the first 100 characters of the caption for better visibility.

5. Tagging Accounts: Tag relevant accounts for higher reach and engagement.

6. Location Tag: Include location to help with localized searches.

7. Call to Action: Encourage engagement like comments or shares within the caption.
   

TikTok SEO Wants:

1. Video Title: Include the focus keyword in the video title for better searchability.

2. Hashtags: Use trending and niche-specific hashtags (up to 10) for discoverability.

3. Captions: Write concise captions with keywords relevant to the video content.

4. Sound: Use trending sounds or music to increase visibility.

5. Focus Keyword: Use focus keywords in captions and comments to boost ranking.

6. Alt Text: Add alt text if the platform supports it to describe your video content.

7. Tags: Tag relevant accounts and users to reach more viewers.
   

Facebook SEO Wants:

1. Post Title: Create a catchy post title incorporating focus keywords.

2. Post Description: Write engaging descriptions (2-3 sentences) with keywords.

3. Image Alt Text: Use alt text for any images, ensuring keywords are included.

4. Hashtags: Include a few targeted hashtags (1-3) for better visibility.

5. Call to Action: Include a call-to-action like commenting, sharing, or clicking a link.

6. Keywords in Body: Naturally integrate focus keywords in the post body.

7. External Links: Link to your blog or landing pages for more traffic.
   

YouTube SEO Wants:

1. Video Title: Write a title under 60 characters with the focus keyword.

2. Video Description: Create a detailed description (up to 5000 characters) including the focus keyword and secondary keywords.

3. Tags: Use up to 15-20 relevant tags, including both broad and niche tags.

4. Focus Keyword: Include the focus keyword within the first 100 characters of the description.

5. Closed Captions/Subtitles: Include an accurate transcript or subtitles for better accessibility and SEO ranking.

6. Custom Thumbnail: Create a custom, attention-grabbing thumbnail using the focus keyword.

7. Hashtags: Use 3-5 relevant hashtags in the video description for better discoverability.

8. Video Chapters: Break your video into chapters with descriptive names for easier navigation and better SEO.

9. End Screens and Cards: Use these to guide viewers to other relevant videos on your channel.

Amazon SEO Wants:

1. Product Title: Include focus keywords within the first 80 characters. Ensure it's descriptive, including key details (size, color, brand).

2. Bullet Points: Use keyword-rich bullet points to highlight the most important features of the product (5-7 points).

3. Product Description: Write a detailed product description (up to 2000 characters) using focus keywords. Highlight the product’s benefits and use cases.

4. Backend Keywords: Utilize Amazon’s hidden backend keyword fields to include additional relevant keywords (max 250 characters).

5. Alt Text for Images: Amazon doesn’t display alt text publicly, but it’s good practice to use relevant keywords when uploading images.

6. Customer Reviews: Encourage reviews, as products with more reviews rank higher in Amazon search.

7. Product Category: Ensure you’re selecting the most relevant product category and subcategories.

8. Product Tags/Attributes: Include any applicable product attributes such as brand, color, and size to optimize for search.

9. Price Competitiveness: Keep prices competitive as Amazon prioritizes products that offer value to consumers.

10. Amazon A+ Content: If available, use Amazon A+ Content to improve your product page with enhanced images and content.
    

Podcast SEO Wants:

1. Podcast Title: Use a focus keyword in your podcast title to make it searchable across platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

2. Episode Title: Each episode should have a clear and engaging title with focus keywords.

3. Episode Description: Write keyword-rich descriptions for each episode, highlighting what listeners can expect.

4. Tags/Keywords: Use relevant tags and keywords related to the podcast’s niche to help search engines categorize and display your content.

5. Transcript: Providing a full transcript of the episode can significantly boost SEO for your podcast, as it provides more keyword opportunities.

6. Episode Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags when promoting episodes on social media.

7. Cover Art: Ensure your podcast cover art includes key elements (logo, title, branding) for visual recognition and search relevance.

8. Call to Action: Always include a call to action in the description, encouraging listeners to rate, review, or subscribe.

9. Show Notes: Detailed show notes help with SEO, especially if they include focus keywords and links to resources mentioned in the episode.
   

Etsy SEO Wants:

1. Product Title: Use a concise, keyword-rich title. Include focus keywords like the product name, material, size, and unique selling points (max 140 characters).

2. Tags: Etsy allows up to 13 tags per listing. Use a mix of broad and niche-specific tags to reach a wider audience.

3. Product Description: Write an engaging and detailed product description that incorporates keywords naturally. Highlight key features and benefits.

4. Materials/Attributes: Be sure to fill out every applicable product attribute field (e.g., color, material, size) to increase search visibility.

5. Category and Subcategory: Choose the most specific and relevant categories and subcategories for your product.

6. Focus Keywords: Use primary and secondary keywords in the product title, description, and tags.

7. Alt Text for Images: Ensure that image alt text includes keywords related to the product.

8. Price: Keep competitive pricing, as Etsy's algorithm may factor in pricing relative to similar listings.

9. Shipping Profile: Optimize your shipping profile for quick delivery as Etsy ranks items that offer fast and affordable shipping higher.

10. Shop Sections: Organize your products into relevant shop sections, each with a focus keyword to improve SEO.
    

Spotify SEO Wants (for Playlists & Artists):

1. Playlist Title: Create an engaging and keyword-rich playlist title.

2. Playlist Description: Use keywords in your playlist description to make it more searchable.

3. Artist Name: Ensure your artist or band name is easy to search and unique.

4. Song Titles: Use descriptive and relevant song titles.

5. Metadata Tags: Include accurate metadata for each song (genre, mood, etc.).

6. Hashtags for Promotion: Use relevant hashtags when promoting your playlist or songs on social media.
   

LinkedIn SEO Wants:

1. Profile Headline: Use a keyword-rich headline that clearly defines your role or expertise.

2. Summary Section: Write a detailed summary that includes focus keywords related to your professional experience.

3. Skills Section: Add relevant skills as keywords to improve discoverability.

4. Hashtags: Use 3-5 industry-specific hashtags when posting updates.

5. Title Tags in Articles: If writing LinkedIn articles, optimize titles and subheadings with keywords.

6. Alt Text: Use alt text for any images included in posts or articles.

7. External Links: Link to your website or blog posts to drive traffic.
   

TikTok SEO Wants:

TikTok has become a significant player in search, with many users turning to it for quick, engaging video content. Optimizing your videos for TikTok’s algorithm can help you get discovered not just within the app but also in broader search engines like Google.

1. Video Title: Ensure your focus keyword is included in the video title for easier searchability both within TikTok and in Google search results.

2. Hashtags: Use 5-10 niche and trending hashtags related to your content. TikTok relies heavily on hashtags to surface content, so a mix of popular and specific hashtags can boost discoverability. Examples include #AIHacks4Moms or #TimeSavingTips.

3. Caption: Write concise captions that include your focus keyword or related keywords. TikTok prioritizes videos that engage users early on, so the caption should encourage interaction (likes, comments, shares).

4. Audio/Sounds: Using trending sounds or music increases the visibility of your video. TikTok's algorithm prioritizes videos with popular audio, making this a critical element for reaching more users.

5. Alt Text: Though TikTok doesn’t have an explicit alt text feature like other platforms, it’s still essential to make your content visually engaging and include relevant keywords in the captions and comments to boost SEO.

6. Content Style: Keep your content aligned with TikTok trends—short, engaging, and often educational or humorous. Videos that match the trending style of the platform tend to perform better.

7. Tags: Tag relevant accounts and users to reach broader audiences, especially those who might interact with similar content.
   

YouTube SEO Wants:

As the second-largest search engine in the world, optimizing for YouTube is crucial for video content creators. YouTube’s algorithm takes many factors into account, including video titles, descriptions, and engagement metrics.

1. Video Title: Keep your video title under 60 characters and include the focus keyword near the beginning. The title should clearly communicate the content and attract clicks.

2. Video Description: Write a detailed description (up to 5000 characters) with a clear introduction that includes the focus keyword within the first 100 characters. This not only helps with YouTube SEO but also ranks well in Google search. The rest of the description should summarize key points, add keywords, and link to external resources.

3. Tags: Use 10-15 relevant tags, combining broad keywords like "AI for Moms" and more specific niche tags. YouTube uses these tags to understand the content and rank it appropriately.

4. Transcript/Closed Captions: Adding an accurate transcript or subtitles improves accessibility and increases searchability, especially for non-native speakers or users who prefer watching with captions. This helps boost SEO as YouTube can crawl the text for keywords.

5. Custom Thumbnails: Create custom thumbnails with a clear image and keyword text to attract viewers. YouTube rewards videos with a higher click-through rate (CTR), and compelling thumbnails significantly impact this.

6. Video Chapters: Break your video into chapters using descriptive, keyword-rich titles for each section. This improves the user experience and helps with SEO since the titles may show up in search results.

7. End Screens and Cards: Use end screens to guide viewers to other relevant content on your channel. This increases overall watch time and engagement, which boosts your channel’s ranking.

8. Focus Keyword: Ensure the focus keyword appears in your video description, title, and tags. This helps YouTube and Google recognize the video’s relevance to the user's search query.

9. Engagement Factors: Videos with more likes, comments, and shares rank higher. Encourage viewers to engage with your content through a call to action in your video.

   
   

How I Use ChatGPT to Save Time on SEO & SCO After Writing a Blog Post

As a busy mom running multiple businesses, I needed a faster way to optimize my blog posts for both SEO and Social Channel Optimization (SCO). Instead of spending hours tweaking every element, I now use ChatGPT to streamline the entire process. With a single prompt, I can generate all the SEO and SCO essentials, such as meta descriptions, alt text, focus keywords, headings, and hashtags. This approach saves me hours of work and ensures my content gets found across platforms like Google, Instagram, and TikTok.

Here’s the prompt I use:

"ChatGPT, help me create the SEO and SCO elements for my blog post titled 'Social Channel Optimization: What It Is and Why It Matters.' Include the following: Focus Keyword, Title Tag, Meta Description, H2 & H3 Headings, Alt Text for Images, URL Slug, Excerpt, Internal and External Links, Relevant Tags and Categories, Hashtags, Keywords List."

By using this prompt, I can quickly optimize my blog post and promote it on social media, allowing me to focus on creating more content and managing my businesses. The results? Better visibility across multiple platforms and more time to spend with my family.

The Bottom Line: Optimize Everywhere for True Digital Success

With over 7 million blog posts being published daily and more than 4.66 billion active internet users, mastering Social Channel Optimization (SCO) is no longer optional—it’s essential. As users continue to search across a variety of platforms like TikTok, Amazon, and YouTube, the importance of ensuring your content is discoverable wherever they are searching cannot be overstated. Tailoring your SEO strategy to fit each platform’s specific requirements guarantees that your content will reach a wider audience, engage more effectively, and offer a better user experience. By optimizing for both SEO and SCO, you ensure your content rises above the noise, making it easier for users to find exactly what they need.

With tools like ChatGPT to streamline this process, you can save valuable time while maximizing your reach across multiple platforms. Embrace Search Everywhere Optimization to ensure that your content is not only seen but also drives the meaningful engagement needed to grow your brand in today’s competitive, multi-platform search environment.

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