Brands need over 7,500 URL tweets to rank in the top 5 results on search engines

A survey from Branded3 has found that URLs receive a significant boost in Google rankings when they are shared on Twitter, with those receiving over 7,500 tweets almost always ranking inside the top five results on search engines.

The research, conducted using data from Branded3’s Twitter petition site and with a sample size of 8,528, found that the effects of this boost seem to level out at around 50 tweets, with the subsequent benefit of gaining additional tweets minimal until around 5,000 tweets.

Patrick Altoft, director of search at Branded3, said: “The Social Boost Study is the first to show a direct correlation between Tweets and search engine rankings and quantify this correlation for brands. With the main search engine providers continually updating their algorithms and offerings to cater for new social media products, the correlation is a significant discovery for brand marketers.

“The study clearly demonstrates how brands can use social media campaigns to improve their online ownership of a particular category and get into the top spots on the search results page, which is where every brand wants to be. Even something as ‘simple’ as focussing on a specific URL rather than asking people to Tweet a brand mention or drive users to a competition page, has been shown to deliver significant commercial returns for both brands and retailers online.”