It’s super tempting to get caught up in trying to be popular on social media, right? Eddie Castillo from Altered State Production has a different take, while making it clear that being easy to find on Google is financially smarter than just jumping into the newest trend on TikTok or Instagram.
“Being TikTok famous is cool, but being ‘Google search famous? That’s where real influence lies.” For marketers, focusing on search engine marketing is the key to online success.
Eddie Castillo, Media Director at Altered State Productions, warns about the risks of relying too much on social media. “Consider the what-ifs,” Castillo urges. “What if the United States decides to ban TikTok or any major app influenced by foreign powers, and you’ve anchored your entire brand’s visibility to it?”
The advice leans towards a stronger focus on a robust search engine marketing strategy. It’s the difference between building on sand or on solid rock. With SEO, your brand remains visible and sturdy, no matter the social media landscape’s changes.
Altered State Productions stresses the importance of increasing your domain authority as the key to automated online presence. The cornerstone of success lies in making your brand easy to find and keeping it visible, regardless of the ups and downs of social media.
Castillo invites brands to build a legacy with a message that cuts to the chase: “If you’re pouring thousands into social media influencers, just to try to go viral, but your brand doesn’t show up on Google’s first page, you’ve got a serious problem.” This blunt assessment underscores the necessity of prioritizing SEO to secure your online presence that won’t crumble with the next policy change or trend cycle.
Social media platforms tap into our innate desire for acknowledgment and connection, releasing endorphins that bring excitement and a sense of validation. Influencers amplify this cycle, driving engagement that seems to validate our need for a voice. However, this ecosystem is not without its authenticity challenges.
Statista’s 2022 report shed light on a significant issue: 58.19% of Instagram mega-influencers worldwide, with over one million followers, were found to be involved in fraudulent activities to inflate their engagement and follower numbers. Additionally, an average of 49.32% of influencers engaged in deceptive practices, indicating a stark contrast between audiences’ need for genuine content and some influencers’ manipulative tactics.
This scenario, fraught with the risks of disappearing content, platform bans, and shifting marketing goals, underlines the volatility of relying solely on social media for brand visibility.
Meanwhile, Google processes over 3.5 billion searches daily, amounting to approximately 1.2 trillion searches worldwide annually. The Google Knowledge Panel offers a distinct advantage by providing a comprehensive snapshot of a brand or individual, including images, contact details, reviews, news, and direct links—all from a single search. This universal access extends reach far beyond existing followers, offering credibility and authority that cluttered social media profiles cannot match.
Recognizing that the impact of social media is short-lived, the emphasis shifts to developing a robust online presence. Despite discussions about AI potentially making traditional SEO metrics obsolete, the reality is quite the opposite. AI relies on the wealth of data from referring domains, press coverage, and distributed content as essential data points. A well-established online presence, therefore, becomes increasingly crucial as AI technologies advance.
Investing in a SEO specialist and your Google Knowledge Panel isn’t just smart; it’s financially wise. Brands caught up in the social media spending spree are missing out. While brands pour funds into social media, those who focus on SEO are building lasting value in this space, ensuring their brand isn’t just another reel being passed on a feed, but a dominant, enduring presence online that’s there to stay.
