Social and search marketing are becoming increasingly integrated in the digital world, an expert has said.

Many companies are embracing the business potential of social media platforms, creating a strong presence on sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter which allows them to reach a broader customer base.

However, Andy Betts, digital marketing strategist, said online marketers face new challenges as the boundaries between social and search marketing continue to blur.

The growing popularity of social media optimisation – which combines SEO with social media channels – highlights such integration.

"Real-time search is already having an impact on SEO as fresh/real-time content leapfrogs relevance, especially for news related searches. SEO companies now have to ensure they optimize for fresh content and not just relevance," Mr Betts said.

He added out that SEO and social media each have their own strengths which provide large marketing potential when used in conjunction.

"SEO insight and social media campaign management used together allows presents marketers, advertisers, and PRs (PR and social media) a vast array of opportunities," he commented.

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