Bluesky Emerges As Traffic Source: Publishers Report 3x Engagement via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Bluesky, a decentralized social network, recently shared that it’s become a growing traffic source for online publishers.

The blog post included quotes and data from several well-known news outlets, showing more engagement and conversions on Bluesky than on other social media platforms.

Publisher Testimonials Highlight Bluesky’s Impact

Matt Karolian from The Boston Globe reported, “Traffic from Bluesky to @bostonglobe.com is already 3x that of Threads, and we are seeing 4.5x the conversions to paying digital subscribers.”

Dave Earley from The Guardian also chimed in, suggesting that traffic from Bluesky to The Guardian is “significantly higher than the very obvious 2x that of Threads.”

According to Kevin Rothrock from The New York Times, “It’s hard to exaggerate how nuts the engagement is on Bluesky compared to 𝕏. A vastly smaller user base (at this point) but so much more active and attentive.”

Marc Elias from Democracy Docket noted, “Traffic from Bluesky to @democracydocket.com is surging while X is falling and Threads remains largely dormant.”

Open Source Web Development Community Thriving on Bluesky

Bluesky has a highly engaged user base that benefits more than just news publishers.

Patak, an open-source web developer, noted that even though they have only 6% of the followers on Bluesky compared to 100,000 on X (formerly Twitter), their announcement post for Vite 6.0 received half the reposts and a third of the likes.

“Most of the comments and quotes from OSS maintainers happened here,” Patak noted. “I don’t know about other communities, but OSS web dev is a Bluesky game now.”

SEO Community Finding a Home on Bluesky

Many SEO professionals, publishers, and developers are now using Bluesky. They like the platform’s features and high engagement, which support discussions and knowledge sharing.

Bluesky is more accommodating towards links compared to X. A company representative stated:

“We want Bluesky to be a great home for journalists, publishers, and creators. Unlike other platforms, we don’t de-promote your links. Post all the links you want — Bluesky is a lobby to the open web.”

This contrasts with a recent statement from Elon Musk, who didn’t deny claims that X demotes posts with links in them.

Bluesky’s algorithm could help SEO-related content get more visibility. Unlike X, where posts can disappear quickly, Bluesky’s decentralized system and focus on user control allow SEO content to stay visible longer and reach a bigger audience.

Bluesky also offers “starter packs” and curated feeds, making it easy to join industry conversations in real-time.

Looking Ahead

Bluesky could become a preferred social network for SEO professionals, offering space to share website content without losing engagement.

It’s important to watch how Bluesky develops and grows to see if it can replace X as the main platform for the SEO community.

You can take advantage of this platform’s opportunities by staying updated and adapting to changes.


Featured Image: Shutterstock/NasShots

140 Social Sharing Sites That Boost SEO & Drive Traffic via @sejournal, @jonleeclark

Thankfully, every so often, a tool comes along that makes the complex world of search engine optimization a bit more manageable.

Social bookmarking sites are one of these tools that can be your new best friend in the SEO landscape.

Why are they so crucial? Simple: They’re powerhouses for building links, which are vital for SEO success.

Think of social bookmarking sites as your personal digital librarian. They let users discover, categorize, and store webpages all in one place using virtual “bookmarks.”

Social media platforms like Pinterest have revolutionized how we think about social bookmarking, proving themselves as essential tools in any marketer’s toolkit.

And it’s not just about generating any links; it’s about crafting quality connections that boost your visibility on search engines.

Sure, most of these links are nofollowed. However, the traffic and visibility they bring can catapult your site to the front page of search results.

But remember, there’s more to it than just links. Search engines use these sites to gauge the relevance and value of content. So, while you’re getting your name out there, you’re also building credibility and authority.

If you’re curious about which sites to start with, this guide has you covered.

Take a look at my list of the top 140 social bookmarking sites that are perfect for getting your content noticed and shared.

My Top 24 Social Sites (In No Particular Order)

1. X

X (formerly Twitter), despite what you may have heard, is still huge. In fact, the platform has over 500 million monthly active users.

While it might not be the first site that pops into your mind for submitting content, it has a large audience and is an efficient platform for posting.

Many people use it to post links, content, and images that they find interesting and worthy of a revisit in the future.

2. Pinterest

As the quintessential social bookmarking site, Pinterest has an average monthly user base of 498 million, roughly 72.6 percent of whom are female.

Furthermore, users are pinning over 1.5 billion Pins per week to more than 10 billion Pinterest boards.

3. Mix

In June 2018, the popular discovery platform StumbleUpon became Mix.

Mix lets you experience the internet as curated by machine learning, editors, or publishers.

You can also tag content that you liked, in particular, to share with others.

4. Slack

Slack is a group messaging program that provides users with customizable channels in which chats can occur.

You can also create private groups, and have direct messaging. I, personally, have found tremendous value in groups like The SEO Community and The SEO for Journalism groups.

In 2022, Slack had an estimated 35 million users.

5. Notion Community

Notion Community is a platform for users of Notion, the all-in-one workspace for note-taking, project management, and data organization.

The community allows users to share templates, setup tips, and best practices on using Notion effectively.

It’s perfect for productivity enthusiasts, project managers, and anyone interested in personal or professional organization.

This community helps individuals improve their workflow while connecting with others who use and customize Notion in innovative ways.

6. Pocket

Appropriately named, when you put something in your Pocket, it’s there to be found later.

Users of Pocket can hold onto anything they find on the internet or through various apps.

Bonus points for the fact that once something’s in your Pocket, you don’t need an internet connection to access it.

7. Digg

Got great content?

Then it belongs to Digg.

Digg is an addictive social bookmarking site that’s perfect for sharing your captivating content with a highly engaged audience.

8. Folkd

The Folkd bookmarking site contains a unique social search feature that works much like a typical search engine, except the results don’t come from a complex, machine-driven system of analytics.

Instead, top results display quality content that Folkd users have bookmarked.

The more saves a piece gets, the higher its rank in their social search, which helps connect their visitors with even more quality content.

9. Reddit

What can’t be found on Reddit?

Users generate threads that can then be commented on, upvoted, or downvoted, and it is a great tool when you’re looking to quickly promote content, generate content ideas, or get answers to a question.

It’s also now one of Google’s key AI training data sets.

10. Fark

One of Fark’s best attributes is their commitment to quality.

As a social networking news site, Fark receives mountains of submissions on a daily basis but presents only the best to their audience.

This site isn’t for wimpy, weak content.

But, if you’re ready to showcase your talent and drive traffic to your own site, Fark is the way to go.

11. BizSugar

If you’ve got content about startups, marketing, and the world of small business, then BizSugar is the social bookmarking site that will help build your reputation and brand authority in a growing community of like-minded small business professionals.

12. Slashdot

Slashdot is the ultimate bookmarking site for tech geeks and the techie at heart.

Users of Slashdot submit and share content on gaming, cloud computing, computer hardware, security management, and more.

13. We Heart It

While users can submit and bookmark different types of content, We Heart It is heavily visual.

The app is nice to look at, easy to use, and inspirational – especially for anyone who loves great imagery.

14. Scoop.It

This site, aimed toward professionals, offers solutions for content creation, content curation, predictive analysis, and content intelligence.

Scoop.It offers four different platforms – a free version for individuals, as well as three paid options: Pro, Plus, and Enterprise.

15. Elpha

Elpha is a social network tailored specifically for women in the tech industry, providing a space for networking, job opportunities, and sharing insights.

It’s designed to empower women by connecting them with peers and mentors, facilitating professional growth in a supportive community.

16. Diigo

Diigo is the ultimate social bookmarking site for academic types.

Educators, students, researchers, and anyone with an inquisitive mind love the features that make keeping track of their resources and sharing them easy.

Diigo is perfect for content that’s focused on statistics, analytics, or research of any industry.

17. BibSonomy

Granted, not many businesses publish scientific material as part of their marketing strategy.

But, for those who do, BibSonomy is a premier social bookmarking site for businesses and academic types to collect, share, and collaborate with the most recent, highly relevant research-based material.

18. Instagram

Instagram is one of the world’s most popular apps for photo, video, and live video sharing.

It’s the world’s fourth most-used social media platform, with over 2 billion monthly users.

The largest demographic on Instagram is 18 to 24-year-olds, representing 30.8% of users.

Furthermore, the average time spent on Instagram is 33 minutes per day.

19. Pearltrees

There’s a simplicity to Pearltrees that makes it a favorite among users who love to create collections of their favorite things.

Pearltrees offers functionality and a platform that makes it easy to share and gather new content.

20. DZone

DZone is one of the preferred social bookmarking sites for software developers around the world.

Each day, thousands of developers come to the site to learn, share, and read about the latest technologies and trends in the world of software development.

21. Medium

Typically used to share personal, original stories, Larry Kim has shown just how successful Medium can be for repurposing content.

22. SlideShare

While some claim SlideShare is on its way out, if you’ve created an amazing keynote or PowerPoint presentation, you’re going to want to repurpose that on SlideShare.

23. Quora

Not only a great research tool for Q&A content brainstorming, but Quora is a question-and-answer based site filled with a wide range of topics to discuss and follow.

24. Facebook Groups

A Facebook Group is a closed or open community within Facebook where users can post content ranging from links to events and questions.

As of August 2022, 1.8 billion people used Facebook Groups, and there were over 10 million groups on Facebook.

69 More For Good Measure

Here are 69 more social bookmarking sites for you to leverage in your SEO strategy.

A few of these you’ll be familiar with because they’re already insanely popular, but there are also plenty of lesser-known sites on the list.

25. Facebook

Facebook is arguably the most popular social network in the world.

Despite changes to how Facebook’s algorithm diminishes organic reach, it can still be a major source of traffic for posted content.

26. Flipboard

Flipboard curates the world’s stories you can focus on investing in yourself, stay informed, and get involved.

27. Feedly

Feedly is the most popular RSS blog reader, with more than 15 million users, and acts as a news aggregator for various web browsers and mobile devices.

28. Pinboard

Pinboard is a plainly designed social bookmarking website “for people who value privacy and speed.”

It focuses on the personal management of bookmarks using tags to organize them.

29. Instapaper

Instapaper is touted as the simplest way to save and store articles for reading offline, on-the-go, anytime, anywhere.

30. Untappd

Untappd caters to beer enthusiasts, providing a platform to rate beers, check into locations, and see where friends are drinking.

It combines social networking with user reviews, making it valuable for discovering new beers and venues.

31. LinkaGoGo

LinkaGoGo has been around since 2001.

It allows you to view bookmarks using dynamic bookmark toolbars.

32. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a 500 million+ member social network designed to build and engage with your professional network.

33. Disqus

Disqus is a global comment system that improves discussion on websites and connects conversations across the web.

34. Listly

Listly helps bloggers and publishers engage readers by viral top 10 lists created by the community.

35. Tumblr

Tumblr, the popular “microblogging” network, allows users to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog.

36. ArtStation

ArtStation is the hotspot for digital artists and illustrators to showcase their portfolios.

If you’re into game design, concept art, or just love browsing incredible creations, this is your scene.

37. Dotnetkicks

Dotnetkicks is a community-based news site edited by the community that specializes in .NET development techniques, technologies, and tools.

38. Pixiv

Pixiv is a Japanese online community where artists showcase their illustrations, manga, and novels.

It’s big on creativity and perfect for anyone looking to dive into anime-style art.

39. TikTok

TikTok is a video-sharing service that allows users to share videos that are 3 to 60 seconds long.

The app is credited largely with the success of many celebrities whose reach extends beyond the app and into the mainstream.

As of publishing, TikTok boasts 800 million users.

40. Ko-fi

Think of Ko-fi as a friendly tip jar for creators.

Whether you’re an artist, writer, or podcaster, you can receive support directly from your fans with a simple “Buy me a coffee” button.

41. FilmFreeway

FilmFreeway makes it easy for filmmakers to submit their films to hundreds of festivals all over the world.

It’s the go-to platform for indie creators looking to promote their work and for film buffs seeking the next big thing.

42. EyeEm

EyeEm is a global photography community and marketplace.

It’s perfect for budding photographers looking to showcase their work, connect with peers, and even sell their images to brands and publishers.

43. SocialBookmarkNow

SocialBookmarkNow is a social bookmarking site that boasts “instant approval” for submitted content.

44. Academia.edu

Academia.edu is a platform specifically tailored for academics and researchers to share research papers across a multitude of disciplines.

Users can follow each other’s work, update their profiles with new findings, and even track the impact of their publications.

It’s a valuable resource for enhancing visibility in the academic community and improving citations, which is beneficial for SEO in academic and educational content.

45. TechDirt

TechDirt is an online news blog that allows users to post their own stories.

46. AllTrails

AllTrails is a niche social network for outdoor enthusiasts, offering detailed information on trails around the world, including user reviews, photos, and trail maps.

Users can record their hikes, share their favorite trails, and provide updates about trail conditions.

It’s ideal for brands in the outdoor, travel, and fitness industries to connect with a highly engaged audience.

47. Houzz

Houzz is a platform for home remodeling and design, bringing homeowners and home professionals together in a uniquely visual community.

Here, professionals can showcase their portfolios, share design ideas, and connect with potential clients.

It’s a great tool for architects, interior designers, and contractors to enhance their SEO through project photos and customer reviews.

48. MetaFilter

MetaFilter is a community weblog that anyone can contribute a link or comment on.

49. Care.com

Care.com connects people with caregivers for children, seniors, and pets.

It allows caregivers to create profiles, post services, and gather reviews, which helps build their online presence and trustworthiness.

It’s also beneficial for service providers in the care sector to increase visibility and SEO through client interactions and endorsements.

50. Steemit

This is a blogging and social media website that gifts users with its cryptocurrency, STEEM, for publishing and curating content.

51. Bookmarkfeeds

Bookmarkfeeds allows users to submit article bookmarks from anywhere in the world.

52. BookmarkMaps

BookmarkMaps is a bookmarking service that allows members to submit articles and share the most-voted content to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

53. Leavemark

Leavemark, launched in 2020, is an ad-free data storage and social media app that lets you save videos and photos and share them later.

The app features a time and space capsule option that allows information to be released in increments of 2 weeks, 2 months, 10 years, or when the recipient is within proximity of a given place.

There is also direct messaging, a newsfeed, and a family tree feature that allows you to preserve information for future family members.

54. Fabric

Fabric is like VH1’s Pop-Up Video but in real life (IRL).

It’s an augmented reality (AR) app that allows you to see people’s commentary on things within your immediate proximity.

You can comment on that commentary and start a virtual, and potentially in real life (IRL), conversation.

55. Vero

Vero is a social media app designed to compete with the one-two punch of Facebook and Instagram.

Vero boasts that it doesn’t sell data, features no ads, and uses no algorithms.

Instead, users select who gets to see their posts, and posts appear chronologically.

You can share suggestions for music, books, films, and more.

You can also shop within the app for any recommendations that you find particularly striking.

56. Caffeine

Caffeine is a platform that streams live content that you can interact with, including gaming, sports, and music.

57. Twitch

Twitch is a video streaming service owned by Amazon.

The platform focuses primarily on live video game streaming, but also includes e-sport competitions, music broadcasts, and other forms of creative content.

As of January 2024, Twitch had approximately 8.36 million active streamers.

58. Bluesky

Previously invite-only, Bluesky was started by Jack Dorsey as a project within X (Twitter) to explore decentralized social media.

It was eventually spun off into its own entity, built on an open protocol called the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), which allows for interoperability between different services and platforms.

The network has seen explosive growth recently, given its similarities to X (Twitter). As of September 2024, Bluesky has over 7.6 million users.

59. Threads

Threads is a social media platform developed by Meta (formerly Facebook) and launched in July 2023.

It is closely integrated with Instagram, allowing users to sign in using their Instagram credentials and follow the same accounts.

Threads was created as a microblogging platform similar to X, allowing users to post short text updates, share photos and videos, and engage in threaded conversations.

Threads was positioned as an alternative to X, particularly after Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. This led to some changes in the platform that left certain users dissatisfied.

However, Threads has gained traction with a focus on simplicity and familiar functionality for those used to Instagram.

60. BuzzCast

BuzzCast is a newer global social community for young and active people to meet new friends, find dates, and form meaningful connections quickly.

61. Masterminds

Mastermind is a social media platform for coordinating goal-oriented video chats with like-minded individuals.

The aim is to benefit from each other’s shared experience, encouragement, comradery, and accountability.

62. Triller

Triller is a social media video app where you film yourself lip-syncing, dancing, or both.

Triller’s editing algorithm then goes to work to edit your video for you based on audio and facial analyses.

63. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is an encrypted messaging service that allows you to send text and audio messages, make video and phone calls, share media, and send each other locations.

WhatsApp currently has 2 billion monthly users worldwide.

64. Tagged

Tagged is a social discovery platform that lets you browse the profiles of any members and share tags and virtual gifts.

65. Wattpad

Wattpad is a platform that services user-generated stories.

As of 2018, Watpad has 400 million stories and over 65 million users who spend over 15 billion minutes on the app each month.

66. Badoo

Badoo is a social networking website meant to facilitate friendship, romantic relationships, or just brief conversations.

You can search based on who’s nearby, use a more specific geographic search, use a Tinder-type feature where you swipe left or right, and have the option of video chatting as well.

Users are verified by uploading a photo of themselves in a specific pose that’s then verified by a moderator. People can also request selfies to confirm an identity.

Since launching in 2006, Badoo has had 425 million members.

67. Bubbly

Bubbly is an app that allows users to record voice blogs for upwards of 90 seconds to subscribe to the voice blogs of others.

Currently, you can apply voice filters, effects, and background music to the posts.

68. Cellufun

Cellufun is a social program that lets users play games together and comment anonymously using avatars.

69. Classmates

Classmates.com is a social media platform that allows users to make and search profiles, post and view notes, view other profiles and their photos, browse digital yearbook collections, and gain access to reunion planning tools.

70. Dropout

Dropout is an internet comedy company that, in addition to creating original content, allows for user-submitted videos, pictures, articles, and links.

71. Discord

Discord is an instant messaging software that allows you to communicate via text, image, video, and voice.

As of January 2024, Discord has 196.2 million active users.

72. GIPHY

Giphy is an online database and search engine that allows users to search for and share short looping videos with no sound, which resemble animated GIF files.

It is believed to have 1.7 billion daily users on both its app and website.

73. Imgur

Imgur is an image-sharing community and image host.

Many popular viral images and memes are hosted by Imgur and are used by Reddit to share images across the platform.

74. LINE

Line is a messaging service that lets users communicate using smartphones, tablet devices, and PCs.

Text, images, video, audio, and free VoIP calls and video conferences are all available.

Line also has a digital wallet called Line Pay, a news stream called Line Today, a video-on-demand service known as Line TV, and two digital comic services known as Line Manga and Line Webtoon.

Line is one of the most used apps in Japan, with over 88% of the population using it.

75. Mastodon

Mastodon is a decentralized social network offering an ad-free, open-source environment similar to Twitter.

Users can join servers that best fit their interests and engage in discussions or share media.

It’s an excellent alternative for creating content streams that can improve SEO by fostering community interactions and content sharing.

76. LiveJournal

LiveJournal is a social networking platform where people keep diaries. LiveJournal’s highest recorded number of users is 2.5 million.

77. MeetMe

MeetMe is a mix between a social media platform and a dating app.

Meetme works by verifying and populating your profile with data from Facebook.

You’re then shown users nearby who you have the opportunity to chat with and even arrange an in-person meeting.

MeetMe claims to have over 100 million users.

78. MocoSpace

Inspired by Myspace, MocoSpace is a mobile social network that includes games, chat, instant messaging, eCars, and photos.

MocoSpace has over 100 million registered users.

79. Myspace

Between 2005 and 2008, Myspace was the biggest social networking platform in the world, catering to over 100 million users per month.

The most recent statistics available for 2019 show that MySpace had 7 million monthly visitors.

80. Open Diary

Open Diary is an online diary community similar to LiveJournal and Xanga.

81. Skype

Skype is a popular video chat software that lets users communicate via audio, video, or text.

You can also send images, videos, files, and more.

More than 40 million people use Skype every day, with over 300 million active monthly users on the platform.

82. Telegram

Telegram is a chat app available for both desktop and mobile users.

The mobile version features encryption.

You can also send photos, videos, stickers, audio, and files.

As of 2024, Telegram has reached over 800 million monthly active users.

83. Tribe

Tribe is a social messaging app.

You can record and send messages to your friends just by holding your finger on their photo and then releasing it.

You can also create groups to send videos to several recipients at once.

Once the video is tapped and viewed, it disappears.

84. Viber

Viber is a software that allows for VoIP and instant messaging-based communications.

Users are verified by their cell phone. The app can also be used on desktops.

Viber gives users the opportunity to trade images and videos, as well as access to a paid international dedicated video and phone service called Viber Out.

Viber records having over a billion users.

85. Vimeo

Vimeo is a video hosting platform.

Vimeo is ad-free and instead derives its income by providing hosting plans to content producers and tools for video creation, editing, etc.

Vimeo also helps professionals connect with one another, with over 287 million creatives using the platform.

86. WatZatSong

WatZatSong is a community for music lovers where users can help each other identify songs.

Participants post a clip of a song they are trying to identify, and the community pitches in to help figure it out.

It’s an excellent platform for engaging with a music-focused audience and can be a fun way to drive traffic to sites related to music and entertainment.

87. Dropmark

Dropmark is a collaborative sharing tool.

You collect files, drag them into your browser to upload, and then share that collection with a group or individual of your choosing.

88. Droplr

Droplr allows you to take your screenshots or screen recordings, upload them to the cloud, and then share them with anyone.

89. Zight

Zight allows you to share screenshots or screen recordings.

Using its Instant Video feature, users can broadcast screen recordings instantaneously.

90. ePHOTOzine

ePHOTOzine is an online photography magazine offering a social networking platform for photographers to upload photos, participate in contests, and write reviews.

It’s a great space for photographers to improve their SEO by showcasing their work and engaging with a community of like-minded individuals.

91. Patreon

Patreon is an American membership-based platform that provides creators with the means to maintain subscription-based content.

Creators include video makers, podcasters, artists, writers, adult content creators, and more.

There are over 228,000 creators with at least one Patreon. Over the past two years, the number of creators has grown by 20%.

92. OnlyFans

OnlyFan is a content subscription service akin to Pateron that is particularly popular among the adult entertainment industry and fitness experts.

Creators receive funding based on subscriptions, tips, and pay-per-view events.

As of 2022, OnlyFan had over 3,100,000 content creators!

93. Substack

Substack is a platform that allows creators to have paid email newsletters.

Substack provides a content management system to create email newsletters, a way of collecting payments using Stripe, and a website that can provide free or paid-for content.

Don’t Forget The Music/Audio Social Sites

94. Datpiff

DatPiff is an online distribution platform focusing on hip-hop, rap, and R&B.

Basically, DatPiff is the modern-day equivalent of the sort of mixtapes or mix CDs fledgling artists would distribute with the hopes of having their music exposed to a larger audience.

95. Last.FM

Last.FM is a social media platform that follows users’ listening habits to create custom playlists.

Last.FM can gather data from popular music streaming apps, internet radio stations, or the user’s own desktop or mobile devices.

96. SoundCloud

SoundCloud is an audio distribution and music-sharing platform.

The platform would go on to have over 140 million registered users worldwide.

It has launched the careers of many professional and wildly successful musicians.

97. ReverbNation

ReverbNation is a website where musicians, producers, and venues collaborate and communicate.

98. Bandcamp

Bandcamp is an audio distribution platform.

Artists and labels upload their content to Bandcamp and then set how it’s sold, for how much, in what format, and can sell merch or physical media as well.

Plus, 20 Even More Niche Social Sharing Sites

99. Dribble

The go-to bookmarking site for creative types, especially designers.

If you like to explore graphic and visual design, or you have someone on your team who does, Dribble is a great spot to get some SEO backlink action.

100. Meetup

Meetup uses online groups to coordinate in-person meetings based on people’s shared interests.

Meetup has more than 60 million registered users.

101. Weed Life

Weed Life is a social network built for cannabis enthusiasts.

102. Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a social media platform that allows you to connect with people in your neighborhood.

You have to submit your real name and address (your street name without your unit number).

It’s currently available in 11 countries.

Only other members of your neighborhood can see your posts.

Nextdoor has 285,000 active neighborhoods and serves over 10 million users.

103. DeviantArt

DeviantArt is an online community where people share artwork, videos, and photography.

Most recent stats show that the site has over 26 million members and 251 million submissions.

Art can be browsed by categories such as type, operating system customization utilities, skins for applications, and more.

104. Goodreads

Goodreads is a social network where people post about and review books.

Users also have the option of creating groups based on suggestions, surveys, polls, blogs, and discussions.

On a yearly basis, users vote in the Goodreads Choice Awards based on books nominated by Goodreads as well as user suggestions.

As of 2022, Goodreads has more than 140 million members around the world.

105. CouchSurfing

CouchSurfing is a social networking platform that allows users to coordinate lodging and meetings or join and create events.

106. RunKeeper

Runkeeper is a fitness-tracking app that uses GPS to map your workouts.

Some activities include walking, running, and cycling.

Runkeeper has over 51.2 million users. You can share your workouts with others and the Runkeeper community as well.

107. Care2

Care2 is a social media platform that connects people based on the activist causes that they’re passionate about.

Care2 currently has over 63 million members and 2,750 nonprofit partners, has created nearly 457,000 petitions, and has accrued over 1.2 billion signatures.

108. eToro

eToro is a social trading platform and multi-asset brokerage company that offers financial and copy trading services.

Users are able to follow, view, and even recreate the practices of top traders on the platform.

As of 2024, eToro has over 35 million users.

109. Gaia Online

Gaia Online is an anime-themed social network and forum-based platform.

110. Italki

Italki is a platform that connects language learners to teachers using video chat.

Teachers earn money as freelance tutors.

111. Ravelry

Ravelry is a social networking service for people interested in knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, and other similar activities.

Users share projects, ideas, and their collections of yarns, fiber, and tools.

Ravelry has over 9 million registered users and roughly 1 million monthly active users.

112. The Dots

The Dots is a social networking program for creative professionals (writers, illustrators, videographers, etc.).

Members get to network, connect, collaborate, and be inspired by the individuals, teams, and brands with profiles.

113. BakeSpace

BakeSpace is a food-focused social networking site for sharing recipes, creating cookbooks, and meeting other food enthusiasts.

Users can exchange recipes, collaborate on cookbooks, and discuss cooking tips.

It’s a delicious way to connect with others who share a passion for cooking and can help food bloggers and brands boost their SEO through content sharing and interaction.

114. Strava

Strava is a social network for athletes, particularly runners and cyclists.

It tracks user activity via GPS, allowing members to share their workouts, compete with each other, and follow friends’ activities.

It’s excellent for motivation and community building among fitness enthusiasts.

115. MyHeritage

MyHeritage is a platform that allows users to create family trees, upload and browse photos, and search through over 9 billion historical records.

116. Viadeo

Viadeo is a professional social networking platform that connects business owners, entrepreneurs, and managers.

117. Yelp

Yelp is a crowdsourced review-based website that provides business ratings.

It also partners with a reservation service called Yelp Reservations.

Yelp has over 265 million reviews.

118. Letterboxd

Letterboxd is a social networking service that focuses on sharing reviews and adoration for film.

Users can keep a diary to track their opinions, films watched, and make lists. Users can also interact with one another.

Last But Not Least, 12 International Social Sharing Sites

119. FilmAffinity

Registered users can rate, find, and create lists of movies.

In the Spanish version of the site, it’s possible to write reviews.

In Spain, which is the platform’s country of origin, there are 3 million unique users.

120. Kuaishou

Kuaishou is a Chinese video-sharing app.

It’s known as “Snack” video in China and “Kwai” in other markets.

Kuaishou is used to create short videos that capture the everyday experiences of its users.

At the end of 2022, Kuaishou’s daily active users sat at 355.7 million.

121. Mixi

Mixi is a Japanese social networking service.

Its focus is on connecting with others based on shared interests.

Users can send messages, keep a blog, read and comment on other people’s blogs, set up and join communities, and invite friends.

Registration is confirmed using a valid Japanese cell phone number.

122. Qzone

Qzone is a social networking platform centered in China.

It lets users keep blogs, send photos, listen to music, and watch videos.

Statistics show that there are over 600 million active users on Qzone.

123. Sina Weibo

Sina Weibo is a Chinese microblogging site akin to Tumblr. Users can upload videos and pictures for instant or extended sharing.

Users can then comment via text, video, or pictures.

There’s also an instant messaging service.

In 2017, the platform reported it had over 290 million registered users.

124. CaringBridge

A health-focused social networking site, CaringBridge helps people stay connected with their family and friends during significant health challenges.

It offers personal, protected sites where users can share updates, receive messages of support, and coordinate help.

125. Tencent QQ

Tencent QQ, known as QQ, is an instant messaging program and web portal in China.

It provides online social games, music, shopping, microblogging, movies, and group and voice chat.

126. VK

VK is a Russian social networking platform. VK facilitates both private and public messaging, groups, public pages, and events.

With VK, you can also share and tag images, audio, and video. There are browser-based games as well.

As of May 2021, VK had 656,000,000+ users.

127. WeChat

WeChat is a Chinese-developed platform that allows for messaging, social media, and mobile payment.

In China, the app has been called the “app for everything.” As of 2019, WeChat had roughly 1 billion active users.

128. XING

Xing is a Hamburg-based social networking site for professionals primarily focused on the German-speaking market.

As of the end of December 2023, Xing reported that it reached 1.3 billion monthly active members.

129. YY

YY is a Chinese-based video social network that has its own virtual currency.

The currency is paid to people who create content ranging from karaoke videos to tutorials. The currency can later be exchanged for real money.

The platform also streams concerts, fashion, and sporting events. Users can chat as well. As of November 2019, YY had 157.8 million monthly active users.

130. Douban

Douban is a Chinese social networking platform that allows users to document information and create content about movies, books, TV, activities in China, and more.

Douban has 60 million registered users and 150 million unregistered visitors.

Registered users get recommendations and add them to other social networking options; unregistered users get reviews and ratings of media.

10 Bonus Social Sharing Sites

131. Blender Artists Community

Blender Artists Community is a vibrant network for users of Blender, the open-source 3D content-creation suite.

Members share projects, get feedback, and find tutorials.

It’s perfect for 3D artists looking to improve their skills, showcase their portfolio, and boost their presence in the 3D modeling community.

132. PixelFederation

PixelFederation is a community for gamers and game developers.

It provides a platform to discuss game development, share projects, and connect with other gaming enthusiasts.

This site is excellent for developers looking to increase visibility and engage with a community passionate about gaming.

133. GrowthHackers

GrowthHackers offers a hub where users can share and discuss strategies for growth, marketing, and scaling businesses.

Content ranges from articles to case studies, making it ideal for marketers and entrepreneurs interested in cutting-edge tactics for driving business growth.

134. Travello

Travello is a social network for travelers, providing a platform to share experiences, discover new adventures, and meet fellow travelers.

Its features include arranging meetups and sharing travel tips and photos, making it a valuable tool for travel bloggers and agencies to increase their reach.

135. Plantix

Plantix is a network for gardening and agriculture enthusiasts.

Users can diagnose plant diseases, share gardening tips, and discuss best practices in crop cultivation.

136. Kaggle

Kaggle is a platform for data scientists and analysts to explore and publish data sets, compete in competitions, and collaborate on projects.

This community is crucial for professionals looking to build their reputations and collaborate on data-driven projects, enhancing their visibility in the tech and scientific communities.

137. Threadless

Threadless is a community-driven site featuring user-designed t-shirts, hoodies, and prints.

Artists submit designs, which users vote on; the top-rated designs are then made into apparel.

It’s a fantastic way for graphic designers and artists to gain exposure and have their work featured on merchandise.

138. Dogster (And Catster)

Dogster and Catster are social networks for pet owners, offering a place to share photos, care tips, and pet stories.

139. Archilovers

Archilovers is a social network for architects, designers, and architecture enthusiasts.

It allows users to share projects, find design inspiration, and connect with other professionals.

140. Spiceworks

Spiceworks is a professional network for the IT community.

It combines community discussions, software tools, and a marketplace where IT professionals can exchange knowledge, tools, and services.

Harness The Power Of Social Bookmarking To Amplify Your Online Presence

Exploring the digital landscape like this reveals just how expansive it truly is!

Every business, including yours, competes to stand out and thrive online.

Effective digital marketing isn’t just about using any tools; it’s about using the right tools. Social bookmarking is one of these powerful tools, essential for building and enhancing your brand’s online visibility.

Remember, achieving success online is a collective effort. Social bookmarking connects you to a broader community, helping you engage with your audience and expand your reach.

Start incorporating social bookmarking into your strategy today and watch your digital presence grow.

More resources:


Featured Image: tovovan/Shutterstock

Making Social Media & SEO Work Together via @sejournal, @krisjonescom

The synergy between social media and SEO is critical in modern digital marketing.

As a seasoned SEO professional with 26 years of experience, I’ve observed how recent developments – such as the Google algorithm updates and the rise of Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO) – have reshaped the interplay between social media and search engine optimization.

Understanding this dynamic is essential for businesses aiming to enhance their online visibility and connect with their target audience effectively.

In this article, we’ll explore how social media can significantly boost your SEO efforts.

We’ll delve into practical examples, consider the impact of recent industry changes, and provide up-to-date references to help you navigate this complex landscape.

The Evolving Relationship Between Social Media And SEO

A Brief History And Recent Developments

Historically, the connection between social media and SEO has been nuanced.

While Google has consistently stated that social signals (likes, shares, comments) are not direct ranking factors, the indirect benefits are undeniable.

The Google leak of 2024, which unveiled insights into the search giant’s algorithmic considerations, highlighted the growing importance of user engagement metrics – many of which are influenced by social media activity.

Moreover, the introduction of AIO has further intertwined social media with SEO.

AIO leverages AI to optimize content and user experiences across platforms, including social media.

With AI algorithms now better at understanding content context and user intent, the lines between social media engagement and SEO performance are blurring.

The Impact of AI And Algorithm Updates On Social Signals

Google’s advancements in AI, particularly with the BERT and MUM algorithms, have enhanced the search engine’s ability to interpret natural language and user intent.

These developments mean that content shared on social media – especially when it generates significant engagement – can influence how search engines perceive and rank your website indirectly.

For instance, a viral social media post can lead to increased brand searches on Google, which is a positive signal to the search engine about your brand’s authority and relevance.

Additionally, AI-powered tools now analyze social media trends to inform SEO strategies, making social media an indispensable component of SEO planning.

How Social Media Helps SEO

1. Amplifying Content Reach And Engagement

Social media platforms serve as powerful amplifiers for your content, extending its reach beyond your website’s regular audience.

By actively sharing and promoting your content on these platforms, you tap into a vast network of potential readers, customers, and influencers who can engage with and spread your message further.

Example: Imagine you’ve published a comprehensive guide on sustainable living on your website. By sharing this guide on your social media platforms, you expose it to a broader audience who may not have found it through search engines alone. If your post gains traction – receiving shares, comments, and likes – it can drive substantial traffic to your site.

Recent Changes: With the rise of short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, sharing snippets or highlights of your content can entice users to visit your website for the full version. These platforms’ algorithms favor engaging content, increasing the likelihood of your content reaching a wider audience.

2. Enhancing Link Building Opportunities

Backlinks remain a cornerstone of SEO, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and authoritative.

Social media can be a catalyst for earning these backlinks by exposing your content to individuals and organizations that may link to it from their own websites or blogs.

Example: A tech startup publishes an insightful article about emerging technologies. By promoting this article on LinkedIn, industry professionals may notice and reference it in their own blogs or articles, creating valuable backlinks.

Recent Changes: Google has provided guidance that focusing too much on links can be a distraction from what matters most to your audience. While links are still important, engagement with your content is becoming a key metric of effectiveness. Social media is an excellent way to both encourage and measure engagement with your content. A strong social media strategy encourages the most valuable types of links: earned links based on content that resonates with your audience.

3. Social Profiles In SERPs And Brand Visibility

Your social media profiles are extensions of your brand and can occupy prominent positions in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Optimizing these profiles not only strengthens your online presence but also provides additional pathways for users to discover and engage with your brand.

In recent updates, Google emphasizes results from user-generated content on Reddit so being present in relevant conversations and managing your brand on social platforms is becoming more critical to your SEO strategy.

Example: When users search for your brand, your social media profiles can appear alongside your website in the search results, occupying more real estate on the SERP and increasing your brand’s visibility.

Recent Changes: With Google’s continuous updates, there is a greater emphasis on providing users with comprehensive information. Social media profiles often appear in the knowledge panel or as rich results, offering users direct access to your latest updates and engagement opportunities.

4. Building Brand Trust and Authority

In a crowded digital marketplace, establishing trust and authority is essential.

Social media allows you to showcase your expertise, engage authentically with your audience, and build a community around your brand – all of which contribute to a stronger, more trustworthy online presence.

Example: A financial advisor regularly shares expert insights on X (Twitter), engaging with followers’ questions and discussions. This consistent presence builds credibility, encouraging users to visit their website for more in-depth information.

Recent Changes: The integration of user-generated content and reviews on social media platforms can influence public perception. Google considers brand reputation in its E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) criteria, and a strong social media presence contributes to this.

Conclusion

Social media and SEO are more interconnected than ever.

The evolution of Google’s algorithms and the advent of AI optimization have amplified the impact social media can have on your SEO efforts.

By strategically leveraging social platforms to share content, engage with your audience, and build brand authority, you indirectly boost your search engine rankings.

Remember, while social media signals may not be direct ranking factors, the ripple effects – such as increased traffic, enhanced backlink opportunities, and improved brand perception – play a significant role in your overall SEO performance.

Embrace the synergy between social media and SEO to stay ahead in this dynamic environment.

By integrating these strategies into your digital marketing plan, you’ll not only enhance your SEO efforts but also build a more robust and engaged online presence.

Stay informed about the latest developments, and don’t hesitate to adapt your approach as the digital landscape continues to evolve.

More resources:  


Featured Image: gonin/Shutterstock

Ready to Make Reddit Work for Your Brand? [Webinar] via @sejournal, @brentcsutoras

Looking to unlock the power of Reddit’s unique platform to boost your brand, build organic strategies, or foster community engagement? We’re bringing together the experts, and they’re going to tell you how to do it.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to receive actionable insights directly from the experts who help shape Reddit’s advertising and marketing landscape. 

You’ll get insider tips on how to engage Reddit’s vast and diverse user base, tap into real-time conversations, and leverage the platform’s unique community-driven environment to drive your brand’s growth.

Whether your focus is on organic search, paid campaigns, community engagement, or crafting a winning content strategy, this is a rare chance to ask Reddit insiders whatever you want.

Meet Your Expert Panel:

  • Moderated by Brent Csutoras – A seasoned expert in digital marketing and Reddit strategy, Brent has spent years helping brands leverage Reddit to achieve tangible success. His strategic guidance will help ensure you get the most from this AMA.
  • Susan Billingsley – As the leader of Reddit’s global business brand and audience marketing, Susan is responsible for crafting narratives that connect with Reddit’s diverse user base and drive brand loyalty. She’ll share insights into what resonates with Reddit users and how to create compelling brand stories.
  • Rob Gaige – Rob brings his expertise in turning Reddit’s community conversations into actionable marketing strategies. With his finger on the pulse of consumer trends, he’ll guide you on how to stay ahead of shifts in audience behavior and preferences.
  • Nishe Modoyan – Overseeing Reddit’s core ads platform, Nishe leads go-to-market strategies with a deep passion for identifying the most effective advertising opportunities for Reddit’s business partners. She’ll offer expert advice on optimizing ad spend and maximizing ROI.

This AMA is designed to be an interactive, no-holds-barred conversation, giving you direct access to the minds behind Reddit’s advertising and marketing strategies. You’ll walk away with real insights for crafting your next campaign, whether it’s organic or paid – insights you can only hear from the experts shaping Reddit itself.

What We’ll Be Covering:

This is a chance to get behind the scenes of Reddit’s advertising and marketing ecosystem and understand how you can make the most of the platform’s vast and engaged user base. Learn how to harness Reddit’s vibrant communities, use advanced targeting options for ads, and capitalize on emerging consumer trends.

Who Should Attend?

This presentation is tailor-made for marketing leaders, digital strategists, and managers who are eager to explore Reddit’s full potential. If you’re tasked with expanding brand reach, fostering community engagement, or driving targeted ad campaigns, we want to hear your questions!

While We Typically Provide Key Takeaways, This Time You Drive the Conversation!

Wondering what you can expect? Here are a few of the burning questions we anticipate answering:

  • What are the most effective strategies for engaging Reddit’s highly active communities and creating meaningful interactions?
  • How can I use Reddit Ads to boost brand awareness, generate leads, and drive conversions?
  • How can insights derived from Reddit’s communities help predict emerging consumer trends and behavior?
  • What are the best practices for leveraging Reddit’s rich data to enhance and refine my brand strategy?
  • How do I find the right balance between organic engagement and paid advertising to maximize impact without losing authenticity?

Ready to Gain a Competitive Edge? Secure Your Spot Now!

Always wanted direct access to the pros at Reddit? Register today to be part of a live conversation and get answers to all your burning questions.

Can’t Make It?

No worries! Register anyway, and we’ll ensure you receive a recording of the event after, so you don’t miss out on a single insight.

We can’t wait to take your questions!

A New Era Of SEO: Leveraging YouTube, LinkedIn, And Cross-Channel Strategies For Success via @sejournal, @gregjarboe

SEO professionals are on the verge of a new era.

With hindsight, the previous epoch could be called “The Age of the One-Trick Pony.” It began back in 2002 when Google passed more than a dozen crawlers and directories to become the dominant search engine.

If you learned how to improve a website’s visibility in Google’s natural or unpaid search results, then you could get a respectable job as a search engine optimizer.

But, the era of one-trick ponies is about to end. So, it’s time to re-envision your career path.

Going forward, SEO specialists will need to invest more time in learning four additional disciplines: digital analytics, digital advertising, content marketing, and social media marketing.

SEO managers will also need to demonstrate critical thinking about digital marketing strategy if they ever hope to climb the ladder.

So, where should you begin?

Digital Analytics

You should start by learning more about digital analytics, which is the process of collecting, measuring, analyzing, and interpreting data from digital sources to understand how users interact with online content.

This will help you understand why traditional metrics like “keyword rankings” and “organic pageviews” – which are the top two performance metrics that SEO professionals use to measure success in 2024 – aren’t getting noticed anymore. This means they’re never going to help you get a promotion, let alone a seat at the big table.

As Search Engine Journal’s State Of SEO 2025 noted:

“Keyword rankings and pageviews are not necessarily relevant to business goals. They’re the main metrics being disrupted right now, but it’s critical to lean into disruption to discover opportunities and change strategies.”

So, it is worth learning how digital analytics can help you measure success using key performance indicators (KPIs) that are tied to business goals like “drive online sales” for ecommerce sites, “generate leads” for lead-generation sites, and even “raise brand awareness” for publishers.

For example, Rand Fishkin recently wrote a blog post titled, 2024 Zero-Click Search Study: For every 1,000 EU Google Searches, only 374 clicks go to the Open Web. In the US, it’s 360.

He used a clickstream panel from Datos to tackle a couple of critical questions:

  • What typically occurs after Americans and Europeans perform a Google search?
  • In 2024, what percentage of searches end without any clicks?

As the twin charts below indicate, close to 60% of Google searches result in zero clicks, while slightly more than 40% result in a click.

twin charts indicate close to 60% of Google searches result in zero clicks, while slightly more than 40% result in a clickImage from Sparktoro, September 2024

Of the searches that result in a click, about 25-30% go to platforms that Google owns, including YouTube, Google Images, Google Maps, and Google News. Meanwhile, the other 70% to 75% go to a non-Google-owned, non-Google-ad-paying property.

For every 1,000 Google searches, only 360 clicks in the U.S. and just 374 clicks in Europe go to the open web.

That is why you should use digital analytics to measure the impact of visibility in Google’s natural or unpaid search results on raising brand awareness.

How do you do that? As I mentioned in No-Click Searches Require A New Way To Measure SEO Results, this issue might be relatively new for SEO specialists and managers, but it’s a long-standing challenge for PR professionals.

In the late 1980s, I was the director of corporate communications at Lotus Development Corporation and at Ziff-Davis during the 1990s. Back then, I began utilizing surveys to measure the impact of publicity on brand awareness.

Today, you can use a modified version of brand lift surveys to measure this KPI.

Brand lift surveys ask people questions about your brand and products – either before and after your target audience has been exposed to a new campaign or at regular intervals.

The questions can help you understand how your SEO efforts and other cross-channel programs are impacting your brand, including:

  • Awareness.
  • Consideration.
  • Favorability.
  • Purchase intent.

In other words, learning to use digital analytics to measure, analyze, and interpret data is significantly more valuable to your career than just using the same old web analytics metrics that SEO pros have been collecting and reporting for more than 20 years.

Digital Advertising

Next, I would recommend learning more about digital advertising, which includes pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.

Digital ads can appear in many forms, including text, images, audio, and video, and can be found on various platforms, such as search engines, social media, and websites.

You’re probably sharing your keyword research with colleagues in your advertising department or over at your ad agency. But that is just the front end of a longer process – you should learn more about the middle and back end, too.

For example, I had bet dollars to donuts that your colleagues in advertising are busy setting up audiences in Google Analytics 4, which lets them segment users in ways that are important to your business.

By linking your GA4 account to Google Ads, they can remarket to them.

Why does this represent a strategic opportunity for SEO pros?

Back in December 2020, I wrote The Future Of SEO Lies In The ‘Messy Middle’ Of The Purchase Journey. I reported on research by Google’s Market Insights team in the UK, which found:

“People don’t make decisions in a neat, linear fashion.”

Between the moment they realize they need or want something and the moment they make a purchase, a lot happens.

The research also found:

“People look for information about a category’s products and brands, and then weigh all the options.”

They go through two different mental modes in the messy middle: exploration, which is an expansive activity, and evaluation, which is a reductive activity.

It concluded:

“Whatever a person is doing, across a huge array of online sources, such as search engines, social media, and review sites, can be classified into one of these two mental modes.”

So, how do SEO professionals harness this insight?

What if you started building “SEO audiences” in GA4 to help people in the “messy middle” of their purchase journey?

You could then share your SEO audiences with your colleague in advertising, who could then create a remarketing campaign targeted at this specific group of users – and help them complete their purchase journey.

For example, if your SEO program builds an audience of 1,000 users who:

  • Begin the checkout process, then your colleague could use Google Ads to ask them to make a purchase.
  • Download a white paper, then your colleague could use Google Ads to ask them to complete a registration form.
  • Scroll to 90% of a blog post or article, then your colleague could use Google Ads to ask them to subscribe to a newsletter.

SEJ’s State of SEO 2025 says the biggest barrier to SEO success in the last 12 months was “budget and resources.” And that was followed by two other traditional barriers: “Google algorithm updates” and “competition in SERPs.”

But if you dig a little deeper, the fourth item on the list of the biggest barriers to SEO success was “alignment with other departments.”

So, imagine what would happen if the SEO and PPC people started working together to help people in the “messy middle” of their purchase journey?

Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, And SEO

Speaking of alignment with other departments, SEO pros need to learn even more than they already know about content marketing and social media marketing.

Why? Because these three disciplines often overlap, as you can see in the illustration below, which appears in Digital Marketing Fundamentals: OMCP’s Official Guide to OMCA Certification. (Disclosure: I am one of the co-authors.)

Venn diagram of SEO, Social media marketing, and content marketingImage from author, September 2024

Overlapping responsibilities can be a waste of time and frustrating for teams. So, these tend to be the first things that companies and clients trim when they tighten their purse strings.

Ironically, slightly overlapping roles can improve workflow integration. This is because each role’s activities impact the next process in the workflow.

Alignment with other departments isn’t just a way to keep your SEO budget and resources from being cut. It is also a way to overcome other barriers to SEO success, like “Google algorithm updates” and “competition in SERPs.”

Want an example?

Just read AI On Innovation: Analysis Of +546,000 AI Overviews.

The article by Kevin Indig dives into the latest data on AI Overviews (AIO) to understand domain visibility, citation trends, and effective search strategies crucial for SEO success.

What does he notice? The top three most cited domains in AIOs are:

  • YouTube.com.
  • Wikipedia.com.
  • LinkedIn.com.

What does he wonder?

“The fact that two social networks, YouTube and LinkedIn, are in the top three most cited domains raises the question of whether we can influence AIO answers with content on YouTube and LinkedIn more than our own.”

Indig also notes that videos take more effort to produce than LinkedIn answers, but videos might also be more defensible against copycats. So, “AIO-optimization strategies should include social and video content.”

Let us imagine that you are the SEO manager at a Fortune 500 company. What would happen if your chief marketing officer (CMO) decided to create a task force to develop AIO-optimization strategies?

If the task force included managers from the SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing departments, then how likely is it that you would be selected to head up this team?

Unfortunately, your CMO has probably read The people who ruined the internet, which was published in The Verge on Nov. 1, 2023.

Since then, SEJ’s State of SEO 2025 confirms that 46.3% of SEO professionals are “content goblins,” a term that the author coined to describe people “willing to eschew rules, morals, and good taste in exchange for eyeballs and mountains of cash.”

Another 25.2% of SEO pros are “alligator wrestlers,” another term coined by The Verge to describe the link spammers who want people to click on “WATCH: 10-foot Gator Prepares to Maul Digital Marketers.”

And 19.6% were confused by these descriptions, which indicates that they don’t get out of their silos very often.

So, how do you avoid the stereotype that SEO pros are hustlers, while simultaneously demonstrating that you have the education, expertise, and experience needed to lead an interdisciplinary team?

Yes, you could cram for the job interview by reading 20 Confirmed Facts About YouTube’s Algorithm and LinkedIn Algorithm Change Could Promote Your Best Posts For Months.

But you’d probably improve your chances of getting the new position by also reading:

In other words, the more you know about content marketing and social media marketing, the more likely it is that you will be chosen to head up a task force to develop AIO-optimization strategies.

And working collaboratively with other departments to leverage YouTube, LinkedIn, and cross-channel strategies will also increase your odds of getting promoted in the foreseeable future.

Digital Marketing Strategy

But when you climb the corporate ladder, don’t be surprised if your next job title doesn’t include the term “search engine optimization” or “SEO.”

Back in November 2020, I noticed that there were very few vice presidents of search engine optimization. And back then, I wondered what SEO managers still needed to learn to become a VP of SEO.

In February 2024, Adam Audette provided an update in a post titled, The Demise of the VP of SEO Role. He noticed:

“Over the last 18 months there has been a marked decline in the job market for senior SEO leadership roles across in-house and agency landscapes, and this trend is persisting.”

And he wondered:

“Maybe companies don’t believe SEO by itself is enough anymore. Job seekers need SEO plus something extra.”

As I mentioned earlier, the era of one-trick ponies is about to end. What comes next can only be described using Words of Estimative Probability (WEP), which are used by intelligence analysts in analytic reports to convey the likelihood of a future event occurring.

So, whether you’re called the VP of marketing, CMO, or chief growth officer (CGO), the challenge will be the same: Create successful digital marketing strategies when your global company or top brand is faced with unexpected opportunities or unanticipated threats in the unforeseeable future.

What are the odds that you can overcome that challenge?

You can increase the likelihood of success by reading case studies and then asking yourself two questions:

  • What do I notice?
  • What do I wonder?

I used this approach when I wrote the chapter on digital marketing strategy in the book, “Digital Marketing Fundamentals.” I shared two articles that I had written for Search Engine Journal:

Now, learning lessons from others is a good start, but you can significantly improve your chances of success by borrowing a big idea from my old friend and former colleague, Avinash Kaushik. He wrote an article titled, Stop Exceeding Expectations, Suck Less First.

He said that we should stop trying to “exceed the (often less-than-optimally informed) expectations of Wall Street Analysts” because “this desire to overachieve also comes at a very heavy cost – it drives sub-optimal behavior.”

Instead, he recommended this “as the #1 goal for your company: Suck less, every day.”

How does this incremental approach help a VP of marketing, CMO, or CGO achieve their business objectives?

In the same chapter on digital marketing strategy, I referenced a post in Occam’s Razor by Kaushik titled, Digital Marketing And Analytics: Two Ladders For Magnificent Success.

Back in December 2013, he said:

“More often than not, magnificent success results from executing a business plan that is rooted in a strong understanding of the landscape of possibilities, and a deep self-awareness of business capabilities. These business plans will contain a structured approach…”

Then, he shared the Digital Marketing “Ladder of Awesomeness” below.

Digital marketing Image from Occam’s Razor by Kaushik, September 2024

Next, Kaushik shared the Digital Analytics “Ladder of Awesomeness” below, which outlines the KPIs for each step.

Digital analytics Image from Occam’s Razor by Kaushik, September 2024

Now, your twin ladders of awesomeness might look a little different than his because this is 2024 – not 2013.

And both digital marketing and digital analytics have evolved. But the step-by-step process that Kaushik outlined will help you make the hard choices that are the most relevant for your company or brand when it finds itself in an unexpected, unanticipated, or unforeseeable position.

So, the first step in this new era of SEO is developing digital marketing strategies that help you avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and climb the ladder of success.

In parallel, the second step should be learning how to measure incrementality, the conversions that would not have occurred without marketing influence.

Oh, it’s also smart to start climbing these twin ladders of awesomeness as quickly as you can.

Why? Because the clock is ticking.

According to Spencer Stuart’s most recent CMO Tenure Study, Fortune 500 CMOs had an average tenure of 4.2 years last year.

However, there are differences between diverse types of companies.

CMOs at B2B companies tend to stay in their roles for an average of 4.5 years; CMOs at B2C companies average 4.0 years; CMOs at the top 100 advertisers hand on to their jobs for just 3.1 years.

In the next couple of years, a significant percentage of CMO jobs are going to open suddenly. How likely is it that you’ll be ready to be interviewed for one of them?

Spencer Stuart also noticed that 34% of Fortune 500 CMOs lead functions in addition to marketing, such as communications. So, the “plus something extra” trend extends from the SEO manager level all the way up to the CMO level.

The Age Of Awesomeness

Take an expanded view of marketing leaders’ growing purview and start climbing the ladder as soon as humanly possible.

The only thing that’s left to do is coin a unique term for the new era we’re entering.

We could call it the “Age of Awesomeness” or the “Epoch of Twin Escalators.” But I’m open to other suggestions.

What have you noticed, and what have you wondered?

More resources: 


Featured Image: ImageFlow/Shutterstock

How Marketers Can Reach Gen Z On Social Media via @sejournal, @rio_seo

Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z (Gen Z) is the first generation to have grown up with the internet, social media, and smartphones as part of their everyday lives.

More than just very demure and very mindful, they’re a complex demographic myriad businesses and industries are vying to target – with their own unique set of ideals, values, and interests that vary drastically from older generations.

For social media marketers, effectively reaching Gen Z requires more than injecting buzzwords and phrases into your messaging.

It requires a strategic approach that starts with obtaining a comprehensive understanding of this specific audience.

Unlike previous generations, Gen Z came into the world with the internet already having made a significant impact for both business and consumers alike.

Smartphones were well on their way to becoming a household necessity, with the first iPhone being introduced on June 29, 2007. Myspace was also about to become a phenomenon that would inspire and forever shape the social media technology movement.

Given the breadth of experience Gen Z has with smart devices, technology, and social media, it’s imperative for marketers to tailor their social media strategies to successfully capture and convert potential Gen Z customers.

As marketers, now is the time to uncover what motivates Gen Z and how to capture the largest market segment to improve return on investment, maximize your marketing efforts, and drive more qualified business.

Let’s unpack exactly who this generation is and proven strategies for increasing Gen Z engagement across numerous social media platforms.

Demystifying Gen Z: Who Are They Exactly?

Gen Z comprises a little over one-fifth (20.69%) of the U.S. population.

Gen Z is unique among current generations – not just for the social structure they have come up in, but also for their spending habits, which differ from other generations.

According to Statista, Gen Z isn’t as motivated to purchase a product after seeing an ad on TV, with only about a third of this demographic saying a TV ad has prompted them to make a purchase.

Social media’s influence, however, was proven to be much more profound.

Gen Z And Social Media

Two-thirds of Gen Zers say they’ve been influenced to make a purchase after seeing a social media advertisement.

Additionally, 33% of the Gen Z population is interested in buying from a brand founded by an influencer, a stark contrast from the minuscule 4% of Baby Boomers who expressed interest in doing the same.

Social media is woven into the fabric of their lives.

A 2024 report by Morning Consult found that 54% of Gen Zers favor YouTube over any other social media platform, with 80% spending their time on it. Instagram is another platform after YouTube, with 75% of Gen Zers gravitating towards spending time there. TikTok (69%) and Snapchat (63%) are also popular platforms for Gen Zers.

Furthermore, the same report indicates 35% of Gen Zers spend over 4 hours a day using social media, and only 4% spend less than 1 hour a day.

Knowing that Gen Z spends ample time on social media regularly highlights the need for marketers to focus their attention and efforts on this dominating channel.

This holds especially true for the social channels Gen Z frequents most, which are YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Gen Z’s Dual World: Online Convenience Meets In-Person Experience

When it comes to online versus in-person shopping, it’s more of a toss-up.

Gen Z is accustomed to the convenience of online shopping, but they value real-life experiences, as well as the ease of same-day pickup.

A Deloitte study in 2023 also found a 50/50 split between Gen Zers and Millennials who see online interactions as meaningful replacements to in-person experiences, and those who prefer the real thing.

All of this suggests that an omnichannel approach to the customer experience is best for Gen Z, but still poses an interesting conundrum for marketers.

We know where Gen Zers are spending their time and how to reach them, but what does it take to connect with them authentically? And what drives them to log off and shop in person?

Here are six social media best practices to consider when targeting a Gen Z audience.

1. Embrace Partnership With Creators

The concept of the traditional “influencer” – who does sponsorship deals, goes on brand trips, and sells an aspirational lifestyle attainable to their followers through the purchasing of products – dominated the 2010s.

But for Gen Z, that heyday is proving to be behind us. As they become savvier about when and how they’re being sold to, the creator economy is king.

In this new paradigm, authenticity and originality are lauded over aspiration.

TikTok creator Alix Earle jumps to mind as a prime example. Earle has seen rapid fame in just a few short months, surpassing 5 million followers today.

She has all the marks of a traditional influencer – the travel, high-end products, and aspirational lifestyle – but her unpolished and relatable tone is arguably what garnered her a massive audience, and what keeps them around as her lifestyle appears to become less attainable.

When she recommends a product to an audience, it feels organic, like a recommendation from a friend.

As a brand, encouraging, engaging with, and platforming this type of user-generated content (UGC) – where your product might not be the star of a scripted video, but a detail in a larger story – can be very effective with Gen Z.

2. Give The Brand A Persona Online

In addition to outsourcing content to creators with their own audiences, we’re also seeing the emergence of brands becoming influencers in their own right.

Some do this by bringing on a well-known creator to represent their brand’s social presence. For example, Kyle Prue, a TikTok creator with over 1.4 million followers, has become jointly known for the personal finance brand, Fizz.

Stylistically, the content for Fizz is virtually indistinguishable from his personal content – except for the fact that it’s about personal finance.

Others employ a character or a staff member to become the face of the brand online.

The popular language learning app, Duolingo, has amassed over 6.5 million TikTok followers making videos featuring its mascot, the Duolingo owl (and most of these videos have nothing to do with learning a language).

Another example with a different twist is the bag brand, Baboon to the Moon, which leverages a few of its Gen Z team members to make content that often features products prominently but feels snarky and off the cuff – a tone that tends to resonate well with the Gen Z audience.

3. Focus On Engagement Over Follower Count

Gen Z is far less brand loyal than its predecessors.

They’re frequently served content from social media main pages like TikTok’s For You page, Instagram’s Discover tab, and YouTube’s Recommended page.

An eye toward individual post engagement and visibility can be a better indicator of success than follower count by profile.

From a local experience (LX) perspective, this also means that there can be value in creating profiles for local stores to build a more personal connection with those locations.

Showing the location, offers, or events specific to that store and the people who work there could encourage more engagement.

For example, the TikTok profile for a Barnes and Noble location in Canton, Connecticut, has 15,600 followers and nearly 686,000 likes on its posts.

Democratizing content creation in this way can be a great way to generate more overall engagement, especially at the community level, and foster a sense of ownership with your staff.

4. Use Video To Your Advantage

Video marketing is a primary purchase driver for the Gen Z demographic. Not only does this audience like to watch videos, but they can also compel them to take action and purchase a product or service.

The previously cited report from Morning Consult found that over half (53%) of GenZers have purchased an item shown in a review video, and 40% have done the same from haul videos.

“Get Ready With Me (GRWM)” videos also inspire purchasing, with 37% of respondents saying this has led to a purchase as well.

The video purchasing trend aligns closely with the fact that Gen Z prefers to engage with platforms that allow for easy video creation, such as TikTok and Instagram.

When creating videos, it’s important for your business and any influencers you partner with to remain authentic and genuine.

Gen Zers are quick to abandon ship and take their money elsewhere if they feel a brand is being deceitful or if an influencer’s testimonial appears forced.

This is why it’s crucial to partner with influencers within your niche and who already have an understanding of your industry.

It’s beneficial to also examine the influencer’s reach and average post engagement to ensure your dollars are being well spent.

Scripts should also be avoided as this can appear inauthentic. Give influencers or your employees talking points to cover during their video, but stray away from regurgitating a word-for-word speech.

Your videos should be conversational, fun, and valuable for the intended audience.

5. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Let’s say that you successfully build the authentic connection and positive association necessary to attract a Gen Z buyer.

At the local level, their experience begins when they open a new tab on their computer or switch apps on their photo to search for your brand – and there’s a strong chance that they are turning to Google to do that.

In a 2022 study of local consumer search behavior (Disclosure: I work for Rio SEO), we found that:

  •  47% of Gen Zers said they very frequently use Google Search and Google Maps to find information about businesses in their area.
  • 65% of the most frequently searched information on local business listings is the business address/directions – followed by reviews (56%), hours of operation (54%), and website (54%).
  • 68% of Gen Zers conduct online searches a few times per day.
  • 65% of Gen Zers want to travel 10 miles or less for a business’s products or services.

To progress your Gen Z leads from social media marketing into conversion, managing your LX and optimizing with your Google Business Profile (GBP) is key.

Your GBP should be optimized for mobile and up-to-date, with correct store hours and addresses with GPS directions, as well as quick visibility into in-store inventory, payment options, and other store highlights.

6. Create Short-Form Content

Capturing the attention of a Gen Z audience can be daunting as they prefer quick and short snippets of information. Gen Z isn’t interested in consuming cumbersome videos.

They crave content that’s easy to digest and gets to the point right away.

Businesses should focus on incorporating short-form content into their social media strategy, such as 10-, 30-, and 60-second videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Each of these formats is designed to entice the viewer in a short timeframe, ensuring they don’t tune out before your message is delivered.

Incorporating current trends can also help capture Gen Z’s attention.

A video from TikTok creator Jools Lebron gained lightning-speed traction when she modeled her “demure” workplace-friendly makeup. She quipped the look was “Very demure. Very mindful.”

The video’s popularity has since skyrocketed, prompting businesses and consumers alike to adopt and insert the phrase into their everyday jargon.

Businesses have since capitalized on the trend, adding the phrase into their own posts and videos to stay current with the Gen Z audience.

Popular, renowned brands such as Netflix, Zillow, and Lyft hired Lebron for marketing campaigns, where she uses her now iconic phrase “very demure, very mindful” in ads for the respective businesses.

While the demure trend may not last much longer before the next viral video steals the spotlight, it’s crucial for businesses to pay close attention to what’s trending to captivate Gen Z’s attention across their most visited social media platforms.

In Conclusion

The key takeaway is this: Gen Z social media marketing requires striking a balance between adaptability of medium and consistency of voice to bring in an engaged audience.

Optimizing online, social media, and local experience will equip brands to convert that audience into customers.

The brands that make both sides a priority will be the best poised to break through to this notoriously elusive generation.

More resources: 


Featured Image: DavideAngelini/Shutterstock

Charts: U.S. TikTok Shop Sales 2023-2024

Charm is a U.S.-based data platform providing retailers, sales teams, and investors with in-depth analytics on direct-to-consumer brands. Charm’s staff has collaborated with ex-ByteDance employees to collect publicly available U.S. TikTok Shop data across various categories from its launch in September 2023 to September 2024.

Notably, “Beauty & Personal Care” dominates, generating over $1 billion in revenue. “Womenswear” follows with $621 million, showing that fashion is another leading sector.

The data also shows an upward trend in U.S. TikTok Shop’s monthly sales from its launch in September 2023 through mid-September 2024, indicating strong early adoption and consistent growth. Revenue peaked in July 2024 at over $600 million.

In addition, the top five products by revenue on U.S. TikTok Shop reveal a strong consumer interest in health and wellness: “15 Day Cleanse” (gut and colon support) with $39.7 million in revenue, followed by “Multi Collagen Peptides Powder” (anti-aging complex, $26.4 million), “BetterAlt Himalayan Shilajit Resin” (nutritional supplement, $20.3 million), “MultiMineral Sea Moss” (nutritional supplement, $20.1 million), and “GuruNanda Cocomint Pulling Oil” (teeth whitener, $19.4 million).

Furthermore, prerecorded video was the top sales channel on U.S. TikTok Shop at $2.5 billion.

A Beginner’s Guide To Reddit: How To Get Started via @sejournal, @brentcsutoras

Reddit is a dynamic social media platform that allows individuals to engage in thousands of existing communities, known as subreddits, or even create their own subreddit if an existing one doesn’t exist or suit their needs.

Users can browse, engage with, or submit content to these subreddits. There’s a voting system that determines the content’s visibility, allowing popular content to rise to the top, while less engaging content moves further down the feed.

Screenshot from reddit homepageScreenshot from Reddit, September 2024

For non-logged-in users, Reddit’s front page displays a curated view of content from various “safe” communities, which is organized by popularity.

Logged-in users see a personalized front page featuring content from their subscribed subreddits, again ranked by popularity.

Reddit’s Unique Position In Social Media

Reddit has played a significant role in shaping internet culture, including:

  • Influencing meme creation and propagation.
  • Pioneering crowdfunding initiatives.
  • Popularizing the AMA (Ask Me Anything) interview format.
  • Fostering deep, meaningful online discussions.

For marketers, Reddit presents a unique opportunity to connect with potential customers in a space where users actively seek to learn, debate, and engage with topics they’re passionate about.

Reddit’s reach and engagement are impressive:

Reddit’s user base is diverse and valuable, with a growing international presence (over 50% of traffic now originates outside the U.S.).

The platform attracts a well-educated audience with significant purchasing power, making it an attractive target for marketers.

Additionally, the platform’s influence extends beyond its own ecosystem.

In 2024, Google entered a $60 million agreement with Reddit to provide real-time content access and utilize its data in AI model training.

This partnership has increased Reddit’s visibility in search results, with users often appending “reddit” to their queries to access more authentic information.

Google search for [best electric car suv 2024]Screenshot from search for [best electric car suv 2024], Google, September 2024

To succeed on Reddit, it’s crucial to understand its unique characteristics and unwritten rules.

Subreddit-Specific Rules

While Reddit has overarching guidelines, each subreddit operates with its own set of rules. These can be highly specific and vary greatly between communities.

Reddit (/r/socialmedia)Screenshot from Reddit (/r/socialmedia), September 2024
Reddit (/r/socialmedia)Screenshot from Reddit (/r/funny), September 2024

For instance, r/dataisbeautiful, one of Reddit’s most popular subreddits, requires all diagrams to have at least one computer-generated element.

Always review a subreddit’s rules before participating to avoid potential bans.

The Value Of Pseudonymity

Reddit’s culture is built on pseudonymity. Most users, including founders and administrators, operate under usernames that don’t reveal their real-world identities.

Unless you’re managing a branded account for advertising purposes or overseeing a branded subreddit, it’s advisable to use a pseudonym.

For those with branded accounts, maintaining a separate pseudonymous account for general participation is recommended.

Reddit allows multiple accounts per user, provided they’re not used to manipulate the voting system.

Understanding Reddit’s Algorithm

Reddit’s content ranking algorithm uses a logarithmic scale based on upvotes, downvotes, and other engagement factors.

In simple terms, the first 10 votes on a submission carry as much weight as the next 100, which in turn carry as much weight as the next 1,000.

This means that initial engagement is crucial for a submission’s success. However, attempting to manipulate this system is strongly discouraged and can result in severe penalties.

Instead, focus on creating high-quality titles and descriptions, and consider adding thoughtful comments to encourage positive engagement.

Keep in mind that Reddit’s algorithm now also considers factors like comments and overall user interaction.

Becoming An Active Redditor

To truly understand and succeed on Reddit, it’s essential to become an active participant in the community.

Reddit communitiesScreenshot from Reddit, September 2024

Engage with subreddits aligned with your interests and expertise.

Familiarize yourself with the nuances of each community and contribute to discussions where you can add value.

Learn the Reddit language so that when you engage in each Subreddit, you sound like you belong.

Trust me, there are a lot of Reddit terms and phrases you definitely do not know but should if you want to have success on Reddit. Check out this handy Reddit Lingo Guide.

The Importance Of Commenting

Commenting is a fundamental aspect of Reddit participation. It’s the primary way to connect with other users, demonstrate community involvement, and even help avoid being labeled as a spammer.

To build karma efficiently, monitor the “rising” tab and contribute early to posts gaining traction, as well as participate in lower barriers to entry subreddits, like /r/meme, /r/oddlysatisfying, and /r/aww.

Avoiding The Spam Label

Reddit’s definition of spam is different from other platforms, but it’s clear they take it seriously, and if you’re not careful, you can quickly be labeled as a spammer.

Spam on Reddit isn’t just about posting links or overly promotional content – it’s more nuanced and tied to how you engage with the community.

Let’s break down the major actions that could get you flagged as spam on Reddit:

Exclusively Posting Self-Created Content

Reddit is a place to share and discuss, not just promote your own material.

If all you do is post your own stuff without engaging with others or sharing content from other sources, you’ll quickly be seen as self-serving, which will limit your success on Reddit.

Posting Without Engaging In Comments

This is one of the most common pitfalls. You can’t just drop a link and disappear.

Reddit is all about community interaction, so if you’re not jumping into the conversation around your post or others, you’re missing the point.

Comments are where the magic happens – it’s your chance to build credibility and trust.

Submitting Off-Topic Content To A Subreddit

Each subreddit has its own culture, tone, and rules.

Posting content that doesn’t align with the community’s focus is a quick way to be labeled as a spammer.

Take the time to understand what each subreddit values, and tailor your contributions accordingly.

Excessive Posting In A Single Subreddit

Overposting, even with good content, can make you look like you’re just there to push your agenda. Balance is key.

Spread your contributions across different subreddits, and ensure you add value rather than just trying to gain exposure.

Repeatedly Posting Poorly Received Content

If your posts aren’t resonating with the community, take a step back and reassess.

Maybe your content isn’t the right fit, or perhaps the way you’re presenting it doesn’t match the subreddit’s tone.

Learn from the feedback – or lack of engagement – and adjust your approach.

Cross-Posting Identical Content Across Multiple Subreddits

This feels lazy and reeks of self-promotion.

Redditors are savvy, and they can spot someone who’s trying to game the system a mile away.

If you’re going to share similar content in different subreddits, tailor it to each community to show that you’ve put in the effort to understand their specific interests.

Ultimately, Reddit values authenticity and genuine interaction. Posting is not enough – you need to participate actively.

Treat Reddit like a real-world community, focus on being part of the conversation, and you’ll avoid being seen as a spammer while building credibility and trust.

Identifying Suitable Subreddits

Identifying suitable subreddits is one of the most crucial steps to succeeding on Reddit as a marketer.

While engaging with communities that match your personal interests helps you learn the ropes, you need to go a step further and target subreddits that align with your business goals.

Remember, Reddit isn’t a one-size-fits-all platform, so your strategy has to be intentional and tailored to each community.

Here’s how to be strategic in finding the right subreddits:

Leverage Reddit’s Search Function

Use the “site:domain.com” search parameter to uncover where your content – or your competitors’ – is being discussed.

This helps you identify communities already interested in your industry or niche. It’s a quick way to figure out where conversations are happening about topics related to your business.

Refine Your Search

Once you have an idea of where your content might fit, dig deeper by going into your selected subreddit and searching “site:domain.com” (you will notice the subreddit included in the left of the search box by default).

This lets you analyze how your content performs in specific subreddits, giving you insights into which communities are most receptive.

You’ll quickly see what tone, format, and subject matter work best in each one.

Study The Sidebar Rules

Every subreddit has its own culture and guidelines, and these aren’t suggestions – they’re rules.

Before posting, always check the sidebar to ensure your content aligns with the community’s standards.

Failing to do this is one of the fastest ways to get your content removed or, worse, get banned.

Look For Emerging Subreddits

Established subreddits can be crowded and harder to break into, but newer or smaller subreddits often seek more content and engagement.

They present a fantastic opportunity to gain visibility and influence early on.

Keep an eye on trending or fast-growing communities that align with your niche. This is where you can become a go-to source before your competition even knows they exist.

When you take the time to find the right subreddits and understand their nuances, you’ll be much more effective in reaching your target audience and building genuine connections.

Creating Effective Reddit Content

Creating content that resonates on Reddit requires more than repurposing material from other platforms.

Redditors are discerning and quick to reject anything that feels overly promotional or irrelevant, so it’s crucial to understand the community’s values and engagement style.

  • Analyze The “TOP” Tab: Check the “TOP” posts in relevant subreddits to see which topics, formats, and tones perform best. This helps you understand what resonates with the community and tailor your content accordingly.
  • Use The “site:domain.com” Search Technique: Search for posts mentioning your domain or competitors to identify what’s working. Analyze titles, framing, and responses to find successful patterns you can adapt.
  • Create Reddit-Specific Content: Design content specifically for Reddit, such as AMAs, behind-the-scenes insights, or unique Reddit discounts. Focus on being authentic and valuable to gain traction.
  • Engage With The Community: Don’t just post and leave – actively participate in the comments. Engaging with users builds credibility and strengthens connections with your audience.
  • Adapt And Iterate: Regularly review your content’s performance across subreddits and adjust your approach based on feedback to ensure you’re always aligning with what works.

By tailoring your approach to fit the unique culture of Reddit, you’ll create content that not only gets noticed but also builds genuine connections with the community.

Maintaining Integrity On Reddit

Reddit isn’t a place to cut corners or game the system.

Its anti-spam and anti-manipulation systems are advanced and constantly evolving to catch attempts at cheating, using machine learning, domain filtering, and rate limiting.

If caught manipulating the voting system or pushing your content too aggressively, you risk both account and permanent domain bans.

The Reddit community values authenticity, and any attempt to manipulate will quickly backfire, damaging your reputation.

Instead, take a page from TikTok’s approach – engage openly and authentically, even if you face criticism.

If you want a real presence on Reddit, invest the time to understand the platform, respect its culture, and engage genuinely. Follow the rules, be transparent, and avoid tricks.

The long-term rewards far outweigh any short-term gains from gaming the system.

Start Now, Thrive Tomorrow

As Reddit’s influence continues to expand, the smartest move is to dive in now and familiarize yourself with how things work.

Reddit’s dedicated, thriving communities offer a unique chance to connect, but it’s a space that rewards genuine effort. The partnerships with Google and OpenAI show Reddit’s only going to get bigger, so this is your moment to get ahead of the curve.

By getting involved today and respecting its culture, you’ll set yourself up to tap into one of the internet’s most engaged and influential platforms.

Success on Reddit isn’t about shortcuts – it’s about being part of the conversation now, so you’re ready to win tomorrow.

More resources:


Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

12 New Social Networks for 2024

Since 2017 we’ve published five lists of new social networks — 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. Here is our all-new installment for 2024. There are microblogging platforms for text, video, audio, and images. There are decentralized social networks, live-streaming platforms, AI-assisted networks, ad-free apps, and location-based apps to track and meet up with contacts. Some of the platforms are in beta.

Instagram Threads

Instagram Threads

Instagram Threads is an app for sharing stories and conversations. Create posts up to 500 characters with the option to include links, photos, carousels, and videos up to five minutes long. Then share to Instagram Stories or direct messages — and control who can reply.

Kick

Kick

Kick

Kick is a live-streaming app similar to Twitch. Users broadcast content in real-time, interacting with followers through chat and other features. To stream on Kick, users create an account and set up streaming software such as OBS Studio or Streamlabs. Kick has an incentive program that compensates creators with revenue per individual stream. Since its launch in early 2024, Kick says it has paid over $17 million to more than 2,000 creators.

Gowalla

Gowalla

Gowalla

Gowalla is a location-based social networking app that tracks users’ actions in the real world. Post updates privately to your network on your location and activities. Send messages, make plans, and leave reactions in direct and group threads. Find interesting places to visit. Gowalla launched in 2007, closed in 2012, and relaunched in March 2023.

Bluesky

Bluesky

Bluesky

Bluesky is a decentralized microblogging platform on the AT Protocol, an open-source toolbox for building social apps that can talk to each other. Bluesky aims to function like the early days of the web when anyone could put up a blog or subscribe to others via an RSS feed.

Jagat

Jagat

Jagat

Jagat is a social network for friends and family. Engage in real-time connections with location sharing and interactive features. Follow real-time locations and share with your network. See activities on a footprint map and from the past 30 days.

Noplace

Noplace

Noplace

Noplace is a colorful social platform of ads and algorithms. Targeted at teens and Gen Zs, it seeks to bring back a fun and organic MySpace-like experience. Gain levels, earn badges, make friends, and use the customizable profile to share your mood and what you’re gaming, streaming, reading, and more.

Airchat

Airchat

Airchat

Airchat is an audio-based social network featuring a push-to-talk, voice-first public messenger that uses AI to generate transcripts. Users have tools to moderate behavior on their content.

Lemon8

Lemon8

Lemon8

Lemon8, owned by TikTok parent ByteDance, is a video and photo-sharing app and blogging platform. The content centers on fashion, makeup, food, travel, gadgets, pets, and related. It provides a variety of templates, filters, stickers, and fonts to help creators. Lemon8 launched in Japan in 2020 and the U.K. and U.S. in 2023.

RTRO

RTRO

RTRO

RTRO is a social networking app that connects brands, creators, and followers in a positive, nontoxic environment. RTRO focuses on connections and communities rather than ads or algorithm-driven content. Users can connect with friends and family or see content from creators and brands in their own space. Discover retro postcards, retro Polaroids, filters, and mixtapes.

Damus

Damus

Damus

Damus is a decentralized social media platform built on Nostr, the open and decentralized social networking protocol. Messages are distributed via decentralized, encrypted relays. Damus users can run their own microblogging platform for friends or a business.

Cara

Cara

Cara

Cara is a social media and portfolio platform that connects artists with clients, fans, and industry peers. Cara filters out generative AI images to find authentic creatives and artwork easily.

Substack Notes

Substack Notes

Substack Notes

Substack Notes, launched in 2023, is a microblogging feature that enables writers and users to post short-form content and share ideas. Notes allows users to recommend anything via posts, quotes, comments, images, and links.

Snapchat Marketing: An In-Depth Guide For Businesses via @sejournal, @annabellenyst

Social media marketing is all about being where your audience is.

If your target audience is active on a platform, then you should be, too. And if you’re looking to speak to a younger demographic, Snapchat can be a powerful marketing tool for your business.

Snapchat is the fifth largest social media network in the world – but it’s one of the most misunderstood (and underestimated) by marketers.

So, if you’re concerned about missing the boat on this platform, you’re not alone. You’re also not out of touch – you just need a comprehensive guide to get started. And you’re in the right place.

In this updated guide to Snapchat marketing, we’ll provide you with a deep dive into the multimedia messaging platform, explain who’s using it, and give you the strategies you need to add it effectively to your marketing mix.

Why Use Snapchat For Marketing? (Is It Still Relevant?)

Successful marketers focus on grasping every opportunity to reach potential customers – and Snapchat continues to offer unique opportunities.

As of 2024, Snapchat boasts over 406 million active daily users, with more than 80% of them being 34 or younger. The platform reaches 90% of the 13-24-year-old population worldwide and 75% of 13-34-year-olds in over 25 countries.

This makes it an ideal platform for targeting Millennials, Gen Z, and, increasingly, Gen Alpha.

While it might not have the massive user base of Facebook or YouTube, it drives impressive engagement. According to recent data, the average Snapchat user opens the app over 40 times per day and spends about 30+ minutes daily on the platform – which means people interact with their social circles on Snapchat more than any other social network.

Yet, when it comes to marketing, Snapchat is a relatively untapped territory. While every brand seems to have a Facebook and Instagram presence these days, comparatively few have a foothold on Snapchat. And that just means more opportunity for your brand.

The boon of Snapchat is how it’s optimized for authenticity. Given the ephemeral nature of the app and the more unfiltered style of content approach, brands can use the platform to connect with their audience in ways that feel genuine and immediate – which is more valuable than ever.

And, as if all of this wasn’t enough, Snapchat has established itself as a competitive force in the social commerce market. With its augmented reality (AR) shopping experiences, you’re able to build immersive shopping experiences for users through the app – something most other platforms can’t compete with.

By now, it should be crystal clear why Snapchat could be a strong addition to your marketing strategy. So, how do you get started? Let’s break it down.

How Does Snapchat Work? A Brief Overview

If your social media experience is primarily with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X (Twitter), Snapchat’s interface may initially feel like a whole new world.

Snapchat’s design is unique – it’s built for spontaneity, exclusivity, and in-the-moment content creation. When you open the app, it goes directly to the camera, making it super easy for you to capture and share videos and photos (called “Snaps”) in just a few seconds.

You can then edit these Snaps using a variety of filters, stickers, and AR Lenses before sending them directly to your chosen friends or adding to your “Story,” which remains viewable for 24 hours. There’s also a newer Spotlight feature, similar to TikTok, for sharing short-form videos with wider audiences.

The app offers a host of other features, including a Snap Map, an AI-powered chatbot, and disappearing direct messages. Long story short: There are a bunch of innovative and creative ways for brands to engage with audiences on Snapchat.

What Brands Are Best Suited To Snapchat Marketing?

Let me be clear: Snapchat isn’t for every brand. There’s a reason why it’s less frequented than some other social media platforms. That said, if your target audience includes younger consumers, it’s absolutely worth considering.

Brands that are best suited to Snapchat are those that present a youthful image and tone and prioritize authenticity, “realness,” and creativity. If your brand image is highly professional or you have red tape around your marketing efforts, you should likely look elsewhere.

Lifestyle brands, fashion labels, beauty products, entertainment companies, and tech startups – these are the kinds of companies that typically see success on the app.

But really, the opportunity exists for any type of brand that is interested in using Snapchat’s tools to create immersive, engaging content that resonates with the platform’s users.

How To Get the Right “Tone Of Voice” For Snapchat

I mentioned tone above – and on Snapchat, tone of voice is a big deal. The platform itself is playful and casual, so you’re not likely to find success using an overly formal or professional tone.

Instead, your brand should focus on having a genuine conversation with users and infusing your content with humor.

Here are some tips for nailing the Snapchat tone of voice:

  • Keep it light: People go to Snapchat to be entertained. Leave your hard sales pitch at the door.
  • Prioritize authenticity: It’s a place to show the human side of your brand, whether it’s through user-generated content or behind-the-scenes Snaps.
  • Engage, engage, engage: Snapchat has a ton of interactive tools for engaging directly with users, like polls, Q&As, and more. Put them to use!

How To Create A Snapchat Strategy For Business

So, you want to create a successful Snapchat strategy. You can just start posting content sporadically, right? Wrong.

You need to start by understanding your brand’s goals and audience, and then determining the type of content that will best help you reach those people on Snapchat specifically. Here are some steps you can take to start building your Snapchat strategy:

  • Decide what you want to achieve on the platform. Maybe it’s brand awareness, community building, or increasing sales – once you know your goals, you can build your content approach around them.
  • Know your audience. As with any kind of marketing strategy, this is crucial.
  • Experiment and be creative. Try your hand with some of Snapchat’s different tools (like Bitmoji, AR Lenses, filters, etc.) to create content that resonates with your audience. Don’t just choose one type of content and settle – you can (and should) experiment with a variety of Snaps, Stories, and Spotlight videos.
  • Be consistent. All great marketers know that consistency is key – and it’s the same story on Snapchat.
  • Keep a good balance. Of course, you want to sell your brand to users, but don’t go all in on self-promotional content. Make sure you’re balancing organic, engaging storytelling with talking about yourself.
  • Learn (and follow) Snapchat best practices. This is a no-brainer. Spend time on the platform to find what works, and see how you can adopt it in your own strategy.

Types Of Content That Work Best On Snapchat

Snapchat is all about driving engagement. What does that look like in action? Here are some examples of content approaches that work particularly well on the platform.

1. Sneak Peeks & Teasers

Launching a new product or service? Snapchat is a great place to drive excitement by giving your audience teasers or sneak peeks at what’s to come.

You might think about dropping hints about the product, sharing a quick glimpse, or some other behind-the-scenes moments to encourage anticipation among your Snapchat followers.

Warner Bros., for example, has used teaser content to promote its upcoming movie releases.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

2. Behind-The-Scenes Content

Speaking of behind-the-scenes, this type of content is tailor-made for Snapchat.

Showing your audience what goes on behind the curtain at your brand is a clever way to create a sense of exclusivity and make people feel like insiders.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC)

You’ve heard about user-generated content – well, Snapchat is a place where UGC really thrives. Consider prompting your followers to create their own Snaps that feature your products or brand, and then share them along with a custom hashtag. Then, you can amplify the strongest ones in your own Stories.

UGC is proven to be a highly effective way to generate social proof, increase brand loyalty, and build a stronger social community.

Javy Coffee is one example of a brand that leveraged UGC by featuring real customer testimonials and stories about how they enjoy the coffee concentrate. This helped the company create relatable ads that resonated with its audience.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

4. Interactive Content

One thing that separates Snapchat from most other social media platforms is its interactivity. And brands have plenty of opportunities to get in on the action!

Try devising interactive moments for your followers, whether it’s a simple poll, a challenge, or a unique AR Lens. These allow users to really get involved and have a fun experience with your brand – and can lead to new UGC for you, as well.

For example, e.l.f. Cosmetics used AR Lenses combined with Bitmoji to allow users to virtually try on makeup, creating a highly interactive experience for its audience.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

5. Exclusive Offers

Want to really impress your Snapchat followers? Reward them. From promo codes to exclusive discounts or early bird access to new products, there is no shortage of ways to treat your audience.

It’s great for them but beneficial for you, too. It gives people a reason to keep engaging with your content and following your brand.

Advertising On Snapchat

While organic content is at the heart of Snapchat, the platform also offers some unique and powerful paid advertising options. The company also rolled out a new ad platform update in August 2024 that provides enhanced analytics, improved targeting, and more.

1. Snapchat Ads

Served to users in between user-generated content, these are full-screen, vertical video ads.  They’re not dissimilar to Instagram Stories, and can include interactive elements such as having a user swipe up to visit a website.

The Salvation Army’s Snapchat Ads featured videos depicting real-life stories of individuals impacted by its services, emphasizing themes of hope and transformation. These ads connected emotionally with viewers and included a swipe-up option to learn more or donate, making the content both impactful and actionable.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

2. Sponsored AR Lenses

One of Snapchat’s unique offerings is its custom AR Lenses, which brands can create for users to experience.

You can create Lenses that allow users to virtually “try on” products, for example, put people in a humorous visual setting or even have them play games. At times, they can even respond to users’ movements or the environment around them.

These can be hyper-engaging and drive a lot of interactions – like Volkswagen did when it used an AR Lens to enable people to experience its ID.3 electric vehicle virtually. Using the Lens, people could place a virtual model of the car in their environment, explore its features, and even change the color.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

3. Filters

These are static overlays that you can apply to your Snaps once they’re created – and brands are able to design their own to delight Snapchat users. These are typically non-interactive but are fun visual enhancements that enable people to add some creative flair to their content.

Post Consumer Brands created its own custom Snapchat Filter to promote its Honeycomb cereal – and it was very sweet!

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

4. Dynamic Ads

Snapchat’s Dynamic Ads enable brands to automatically create and deliver personalized ads to users based on their behavior and interactions with your company. For example, if a user visits your website and looks at a specific hat, Snapchat might serve them an ad for that product.

If you work for an ecommerce company, these might be particularly interesting to you, as you can automate ad creation based on your product catalog – so you don’t need to lift a finger.

Fashion brand Free People has used Dynamic Ads to automate personalized ads for users, ensuring that those who viewed specific items on its website were later served ads featuring those exact products on Snapchat. It resulted in a 396% increase in demand.

Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024Screenshot from Snapchat.com, August 2024

5. Commercials

These are non-skippable Snapchat video ads that usually appear within the platform’s premium content, like Snap Originals.

They’re short – three to six seconds for a Standard Commercial and up to 180 seconds for an Extended Play Commercial (though users can skip after the first 6 seconds) – and are optimized for high visibility.

They typically focus more on storytelling than some of the other ads on the network.

Let’s Get Snapping!

Yes, Snapchat is still an effective marketing platform for reaching younger audiences – but you must be mindful about your strategy and approach.

With its unique blend of high engagement, unique creative tools, and loyal audience, Snapchat offers brands a variety of ways to connect with their target consumers.

Hopefully, this guide has given you the insights and inspiration you need to build a successful Snapchat marketing strategy in 2024.

Now, it’s time to put these ideas into action and start Snapping your way to success.

More resources: 


Featured Image: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock