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What is social media optimization (SMO)? Google dictionary defines it as “techniques and strategies for promoting awareness of a brand, publication, product, etc. on social media, especially by encouraging the sharing of content that attracts people to a particular website.” Essentially, even though designers are the technical skill behind a website, they also have a lot of potential impact on the marketing and brand exposure and a part of the question of ethics in SMO.

Ethics and social media are huge topics on the Internet. Since the rise of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and so on, there have been discussions of ethical behavior ranging from businesses practices to legal usage to etiquette of individuals. It is obvious that social media optimization is a powerful and widely accepted way of promoting one's web presence. However, with no formal regulation, the looming shadow of avarice, and companies with questionable moral compasses, how do web designers navigate this ethical labyrinth?

Why should this even be a consideration? And what does any of this have to do with social media optimization? Designers are not content police, nor are they necessarily responsible for the social media practices of the companies for which they design. Web designers are commonly thought of as IT professionals. But consider what it is that many web designers create… web pages that are reflective of a company brand, a marketing tool. And social media optimization dives even deeper into this aspect.

Being aware of SMO best practices is essential in today’s industry. Understanding concepts such authenticity, transparency, and careful communication in regards to social media is paramount for designing sites that support ethical practices. For example, if one is designing a website that contains content for mature audiences, a designer can influence how that site accessed, how it appears in search engines, or links to social media.

One final thought. Understanding ethical practices empowers designers to choose if they want to engage with companies that do not. It goes without saying that there are companies, influencers, and politicians that choose not so ethical use of social media platforms. As humans and designers, we have a responsibility and right to make decisions to participate or not.