Your SEO just got more competitive – Pins & Vines in Google SERPs

SEO is the cornerstone of web marketing for about 75 percent of businesses, but Google's latest search update introduces new challenges. In a G+ post, Google announced it will begin featuring Vine videos and Pinterest Pins directly within search results pages. With more content showing up in search results, you have another reason to add cross-channel optimization to your content marketing priorities for 2015.

For brands with a Pinterest or Vine strategy in place – this is great news. The content you've created for social can get play in search results, too. But for the 24 percent of B2Bs with no social media presence at all, this could pose a threat. There's now more content to compete with at the top of search results.

Even if you've spent years perfecting your SEO strategy, your posts have the potential to fall behind Pins and Vines.

Learn more about the benefits of cross-channel marketing.

B2Cs can't overlook Pinterest

Pinterest is an ecommerce goldmine – and now that Pins appear in Google search, marketers (particularly B2Cs) are doing their business a disservice to ignore the network.

Alongside the fact that Pinterest is the second largest referral source for social media traffic, 87 percent of active users have purchased items after they discovered them on the site.

Check out these Pinterest successes for a look at the impact the network can play in your marketing strategy:

Take hold of the changing SEO landscape

If you already have cross-channel strategies in place, Google's update has the potential to build both website and social traffic. On the flip side, if you have been focusing solely on old-school SEO best practices, it's time to realize that the search landscape is becoming more complex. You need to have an active presence on social networks to build your digital footprint and rank wherever people search for you.

To learn more about the best ways to create content for SEO, check out the following resources:

Molly Buccini is Brafton's community manager. She joined the team with a background in digital journalism and social media. She's a theatre nerd, pop culture junkie and lover of summertime.

Source: Your SEO just got more competitive – Pins & Vines in Google SERPs