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Analyzing Social Data With An Eye Toward Search

FacebookMag-glass-AAs search becomes more personal, marketers will see an increase of technology supporting social analyses. Rio SEO launched a suite of social media marketing products Tuesday with technology from Seattle-based Meteor Solutions, which parent company Covario acquired in November 2012.

The tools focus on analyzing social media data and augment the company's SEO offerings. It's all about personalizing the Web with what people think. In Yahoo's Q4 2012 earnings call, CEO Marissa Mayer said "For a long time, we believed search wasn't a moneymaker, which is almost absurd now, looking back."

Marketers in the U.S. spent $17.58 billion in 2012 on search ads -- up from $15.10 billion in 2011, according to eMarketer.

The data firm estimates that in 2012 there were 1.43 billion social network users, up 19.2% compared with the prior year. Social network ad spending worldwide will reach $8.9 million in 2013, and will jump to $10.9 million in 2014, eMarketer forecasts.

For Covario clients, the integration provides support with three software products that enable marketers to analyze social-sharing, as well as social advertising initiatives and digital-influencer activation programs.

Rio SEO provides software tools for search engine optimization automation and reporting. About 90% of the company's clients run social campaigns. Breaking out budgets between social and search gets tricky. When combining paid and organic search, Covario clients spend "quite a bit more" on search, compared with social. The ratio gets closer when taking SEO and social into account.

The Rio SEO Social Media Suite includes Rio SEO Social Analyze to help marketers measure and optimize social marketing campaigns; Rio SEO Social Advertise, which delivers digital advertising directly to a brand’s most influential users and advocates; and Rio SEO Social Activate, an automation platform that fosters social engagement.

Covario Founder Russ Mann credited Ben Straley -- co-founder of Meteor Solutions, who joined Rio SEO as vice president of social technologies -- along with the Seattle-based team for a smooth transition and a rapid integration of the technology. Straley now reports to Chris Reid, senior vice president and operating head of Rio SEO.

1 comment about "Analyzing Social Data With An Eye Toward Search".
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  1. Reg Charie from DotCom-Productions, January 29, 2013 at 5:56 p.m.

    Laurie, With Google's latest set of algos, Social marketing is no longer an influence on search results and the acronym SEO should not be used.

    Over a decade and a half of web marketing tells me there are NO shortcuts and SEO automation, at best does not work, at worst can get your site banned.

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