From YouTube Comments to The Death Of Keywords: Google+ Now Required For Music Marketing

Search is going social in a variety of ways as search engines look to social proof to make search results more relevant and users turn to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook for more of their information needs. Google's dominant role in search and web video, through YouTube, allows them to shape this process by pushing Google+ to the center of the Googlesphere to the degree that Google+ is now an inescapable tool for music marketing.

Google+ has been a growing factor in Google search results since 2011 with mostly confirming studies since though conflicting studies are starting to emerge.

However even conflicting studies can't cancel out the fact that if Google is now using social proof as part of its results rankings, then Google+ participation would affect those rankings. Even if that were not the case, Google is introducing multiple reasons to convince or even force your participation.

YouTube Comments Will Soon Require Google+ Accounts

Last week YouTube began to introduce comments "powered by Google+" with full rollout by the end of the year. The new system means that comments about videos on Google+ can show up on YouTube, comments can have privacy settings and new moderation tools are available.

Based on additional details, this new system should be an improvement for videomakers and marketers:

"comments from the video creator will be ranked very highly and surfaced more regularly…The system will also push comments from popular personalities on YouTube and people in your Google+ circles higher up the comment chain, as well as highly engaged discussion about the video. Just like before, you will be able to vote comments up or down, too, and those votes will also influence the ranking…"

"YouTube will now also aggregate public comments about a video from Google+ and display them on YouTube….users on YouTube itself will now also be able to have private conversations on the site by leaving comments that can only be seen by people in their Google+ circles or individual users."

Google Authorship Now Requires Google+ Accounts

I've been remiss is not discussing the benefits of the Google Authorship program for solo musicians and individuals building their music industry brands but both Roo Raymond and Bob Baker recently addressed the topic.

In the latest version of Google Authorship you connect Google+ to your web content, in particular blog posts and website articles, and then your Google+ avatar appears with a byline next to your first content-related search result.

Google is partnering with multiple platforms including WordPress (.com I assume) and Typepad which will further simplify the process for many bloggers.

For WordPress.org users, various plugins are addressing the issue including Jetpack 2.5.

But the biggest recent change in Authorship is that you no longer have to be signed into Google+ to see those avatars in search results.

See Search Engine Land for more on Google Authorship.

What About the Death of Keywords?

So keywords aren't really dying, they're just becoming a bit less key to the Googleverse and that means, in the tech world, that they're dying.

Hyperbole aside, the role of keywords in SEO is changing as search changes. As Google moves to encrypt all searches, analytics results for keywords used on Google will no longer be available. Though other tools can help take up the slack, this is a major step in undermining the gaming of keywords by SEO practitioners.

But if you take a look at these suggestions for post-Penguin SEO, you'll start to see that the way forward is a move away from tricks and towards engagement, quality content and honest navigation.

Both earlier seo changes at Google and newsfeed changes at Facebook suggest the same thing, doing what's best for your readers and site visitors will ultimately improve your presence on Google and Facebook.

Key Points for Musicians and Music Marketers

Emphasis is shifting towards engagement and high quality content in search results and on social media and away from tricks and techniques for higher rankings.

Current changes involving Google+, especially Authorship, privilege individuals over groups. Keep an eye on those changes and make sure you have a Google+ page for your band in the interim.

Keywords have never been the biggest issue for musicians beyond making sure you're found when they search for your name though they have been of use for particular marketing tactics.

Focus on getting your name out there. Make sure you have a broad but manageable social media presence. And be sure your official website's homepage has your name in the title and in relevant text on the page and you'll be found.

When in doubt, serve your fans.

More:

• Social Media News: Google+'s SEO Value, Facebook Page Posts, Gmail Promotions Tab
• Music Marketing Meets Story Bumping On Facebook's New News Feed
• Google's Changing SEO Policies and How To Optimize Your Music Site

Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (@fluxresearch/@crowdfundingm) also blogs at Flux Research and Crowdfunding For Musicians. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.