Social media content will have a much more prominent place in Google SERPs with the completion of an, as-yet-unnamed, Google update.
The update, which is being reported on by the SEO press, is being rolled out slowly and could be a big boon for web publishers with a strong social media presence.
Specifically, the search engine will begin placing links to top ranking social sites alongside results which appear in the Knowledge Graph section on the right hand side of the page.
Access to this piece of prime real estate should be enough incentive to step up their social game.
For example, an automobile company that’s launched a new product with a strong content marketing strategy could get prime placemen in the Knowledge Graph profile, along with social links.
For corporate marketing departments that have struggled with how to increase their social status, this new update is a dream come true.
Smaller publishers, however, might find that utilizing this new social boost might be tough. After all, Knowledge Graph seems best suited for celebrity name and product searches.
A search for “Phil Ivey”, for example, turns up a Knowledge Graph that could eventually include links to Ivey’s social media accounts. A search for a more general term like, “online poker,” on the other hand, does not currently generate a Knowledge Graph.
The challenge for smaller casino affiliates in this case is going to be finding a niche narrow enough to generate a Knowledge Graph, but large enough to be worth your while.