Contributed blog by Natasha Shahani, Content Specialist at Government Social Media®

Search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t just for websites anymore.

With social networks allowing search engines to index public posts and platforms expanding their search features, your agency and its offerings have more opportunities to be discovered. You can ensure it’s popping up in the relevant search results across all search engines and platforms by using SEO in your social media strategy. 

We know this feels like one more thing on an already endless to-do list. But with younger generations increasingly turning to social media for answers, not optimizing your content means your community may find outdated, incorrect, or unofficial information instead.

Here’s how to make sure your content shows up when and where people are searching.

Find your keywords, then use them

Keywords are the key to social SEO. It takes some work to drill them down to what words and phrases are the most relevant to your agency. Once you know, plugging them in becomes easy! 

Start by listing the topics you regularly post about, then search those terms on Google or within a platform’s search bar to see what keywords or phrases people are actually using. Use these insights to shape your content and naturally include them in captions, alt-text, and subtitles.

Using the same language as your community means your posts are more likely to show up in their searches—helping you reach people when they need your information.

Tip: Create a list of evergreen content that you can create around some of these top searched words and phrases. Answers to the most common questions you receive about your agency are great to include and are also good for generative AI optimization. 

Profile check! Optimize for search

A well-optimized profile helps search engines and social platforms understand who you are, what you do, and why your content is relevant to a search.

It’s time for a profile check! Here are five things to look over: 

• Keywords are included in the about/bio sections
• Your agency’s address is accurate
• Profile photos clearly associate your agency with the page
• Verification, if applicable
• Your agency’s website is the featured link

Tip: Set a quarterly event on your calendar or reminder to review your social profiles for these items.

Alt-text, captions, and subtitles matter

Accurate alt-text, captions and subtitles ensure your content is accessible by everyone and helps it get found. Use relevant keywords, but be careful to not overload them. Remember, social media is meant to be personal—keep your human voice while incorporating keywords in plain language. 

Tip: While platforms can auto-generate alt-text descriptions and subtitles/captions on videos, sometimes they are too generic or include incorrect information. Always review these before posting. 

Test it out

Choose one service your agency gets asked about often. Search for it on Google, Instagram, and Facebook. See what comes up and determine the best content format to inform your audience. Use the words and phrases from the search results in your captions, alt-text, and words you include in your photo or video.

The potential of social SEO

These small steps only scratch the surface of the potential of social media SEO. Keep learning about how your content and agency can be discovered with these additional resources and tools: 

• Sprout Social: How to do keyword research for SEO and beyond
• Hootsuite: Social SEO
• Forbes: Tips for Social Search Engine Optimization

Meet the Author

Natasha Shahani
Content Specialist - Government Social Media LLC

With eight years of government social media experience, Natasha joined Team GSM in 2025. 

Natasha graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor's degree in public relations & advertising and a minor in English. She has worked in PR and social media since 2011 and is looking forward to supporting the socialgov community. 

Natasha is a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. When she is not working or volunteering, she spends time with her daughter, adventures around LA and watches Hallmark movies.