social-seo

---
name: social-seo
description: >-
license: MIT
---

# Social SEO

Make content **findable when people search**, not just visible when the feed happens to show it. In
2026 every social platform is a search engine, and search is the highest-intent, most **evergreen**
discovery there is.

Four truths shape everything:

1. **All social platforms are search engines** (TikTok/IG/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn) — and people
   search *different* platforms for different intents. If you only optimize for the feed, you're
   invisible to people actively looking.
2. **Keywords, not hashtags, are the lever.** Write for the search bar first; hashtags are a minor
   category signal → `hashtag-strategy`.
3. **Search optimization doubles as recommendation optimization** — the keywords that get you found in
   search are the same signals the algorithm uses to categorize you for the right feed/FYP audience.
4. **SEO turns posts into evergreen assets** — a search-optimized post keeps getting found for months;
   a feed post dies in ~48h.

(Full model + the AI-search/GEO boundary: `references/why-social-search.md`.)

## Step 0 — Read the foundation + the goal

Load `brand-profile.md` and `audience.md` (their exact search language matters). Get the **platform(s)**
and what the user wants to be **found for**.

## Step 1 — Keyword research (real demand, never invented)

Find the terms people actually search via **platform autocomplete**, **"others searched for"**,
related searches, **comments**, audience language, and the user's **native search analytics** (+ tools
like TikTok Creative Center / VidIQ). **The agent can't pull live search volumes — never fabricate
numbers**; give the method and work from intent/specificity. Favor long-tail, intent-rich queries you
can genuinely answer. See `references/keyword-research-and-technique.md`.

## Step 2 — Place keywords across the platform's SEO surface

Each platform indexes different things — optimize the right ones (full per-platform guide in
`references/platform-seo-surfaces.md`):

- **TikTok** — spoken audio (transcribed) + on-screen text + caption (the **triple mention**).
- **Instagram** — caption + the **searchable name/display field** + bio + alt text + captioned Reels.
- **YouTube** — keyword-led **title** + ~200–300w **description** + **transcript/captions** + chapters.
- **Pinterest** — keyword **title + description + board names + alt** (hashtags deprecated there).
- **LinkedIn** — searchable **headline/About** + on-topic post keywords → `linkedin-growth`.
- **Cross-cutting** — subtitles, alt text, descriptive file names, a consistent branded handle.

## Step 3 — The on-content technique

**Lead with keywords, support with hashtags.** State the primary phrase in **natural language, early,
once or twice**; align audio + on-screen + caption to **one** search intent; add 3–5 niche hashtags.
**Never keyword-stuff** (spam dilutes your topical signal). Resolve the search-vs-feed tension (clarity
vs hook) deliberately. See `references/keyword-research-and-technique.md`.

## Step 4 — Build topical clusters (evergreen authority)

One post rarely owns a query. **Cluster** evergreen content around a pillar topic so you become the
**answer/authority** — which compounds *and* sharpens recommendation categorization. Map a
`content-pillars` pillar → a keyword cluster → many evergreen posts.

## Step 5 — Optimize the profile as a search asset

The **name/display field, handle, headline/bio** should carry the searchable keyword/category (not just
a clever brand line). This is the *searchability* lens — `profile-optimization` owns the *conversion*
lens; both matter. Public profiles/content are increasingly **Google-indexable** too.

## Step 6 — Measure (honestly) + hand off GEO

Track **discoverability**: impressions from search, the search terms that found you, profile visits
from non-followers, saves, evergreen-post growth — via **native platform search analytics** (+ Search
Console/UTMs). **No WoopSocial analytics.** For getting cited by **AI search/LLMs (GEO)**, hand off to
`ai-search-optimization` — related but separate.

## Orchestration map

social-seo sets the discovery layer; it routes to / is routed from: `hashtag-strategy` (hashtag
specifics) · `caption-writer` (adds the keyword layer) · `profile-optimization` (conversion lens) ·
`content-pillars` (clusters) · `tiktok-growth` / `instagram-growth` / `linkedin-growth` (search as a
growth pillar) · `ai-search-optimization` (GEO hand-off) · `scheduling-and-queue` (publish).

## Quality bar — self-check

- Did I do **real keyword research** (autocomplete/native analytics) and **avoid inventing volumes**?
- Did I optimize the **platform-specific indexed surfaces** (not one generic answer)?
- Did I use **lead-with-keywords + the triple mention**, in **natural language** (no stuffing)?
- Did I think in **evergreen clusters / topical authority**, and note the **search = recommendation**
  payoff?
- Did I treat the **profile as a search asset**, route hashtags to `hashtag-strategy`, and **hand GEO**
  to `ai-search-optimization`?
- **Native-search-insights** measurement, **no WoopSocial analytics**, **searchability not guaranteed
  rankings**?

## Edge cases & pushback

- **"Give me exact search volumes"** → can't pull live volume; show the research method; don't
  fabricate.
- **"Stuff every keyword + 30 hashtags"** → refuse; spam dilutes the signal; natural language + a few
  niche tags.
- **"I optimized one post, done"** → build a cluster; one post rarely owns a query.
- **"Just use trending hashtags"** → hashtags categorize, keywords get found → `hashtag-strategy`.
- **"Make ChatGPT/Google-AI cite me"** → that's GEO → `ai-search-optimization`.
- **"Which post ranks best?"** → native platform search insights; no WoopSocial analytics.
- **Clever-but-vague title** → keep the searchable phrase; add intrigue after the keyword.

## Related skills

- `brand-profile`, `audience-research` — the search language and positioning.
- `instagram-seo`, `pinterest-seo` — single-platform search depth (route platform-specific asks there).
- `hashtag-strategy` — the hashtag layer (a minor signal); `caption-writer` — caption craft.
- `profile-optimization` — profile as conversion (this skill = profile as search).
- `content-pillars` — pillars become keyword clusters; the growth skills lean on search.
- `ai-search-optimization` — the AI-search/LLM-citation (GEO) hand-off; `scheduling-and-queue` — publish.

## References

- `references/why-social-search.md` — the 2026 reality, the three layers, search=recommendation, evergreen, the GEO boundary.
- `references/platform-seo-surfaces.md` — what each platform indexes and how to optimize it (TikTok/IG/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn/X/FB + cross-cutting).
- `references/keyword-research-and-technique.md` — finding keywords (no fabrication), the triple-mention technique, clusters, no-stuffing, measurement.
- `references/examples.md` — worked optimizations per platform + a cluster plan + honest scope.