Social signals, such as likes, shares, comments, and overall engagement on social media platforms, influence SEO indirectly rather than being a direct ranking factor. Here’s how they contribute:

1. Increased Visibility and Traffic: When content is shared widely on social media, it reaches a broader audience. This increased visibility can lead to more people visiting your website, which boosts traffic. Higher traffic can be a positive signal to search engines, indicating that the content is valuable and relevant.
2. Backlinks and Mentions: Social media shares can lead to more people linking to your content. Backlinks from reputable sites are a significant ranking factor for SEO. As more people discover and share your content, the chances of acquiring quality backlinks increase, improving your site’s authority and ranking.
3. Brand Awareness and Credibility: Active social media presence helps in building brand awareness and credibility. When users see your brand frequently mentioned and positively engaged with on social platforms, it establishes trust. Trustworthy brands often receive preferential treatment from search engines.
4. Content Indexing: Content that gains traction on social media can get indexed faster by search engines. Search engines use social media signals to identify trending topics and relevant content, which can lead to quicker indexing and better rankings.

In summary, while social signals are not a direct ranking factor, their impact on traffic, backlinks, brand credibility, and content indexing can significantly influence SEO performance.