Hey, is your business on Google+? What would you say if a client or customer asked you that…and you hadn’t yet filled out a profile? Google+, or Google Plus, is the latest big company sponsored social network, and it has plenty of SEO experts and business owners scratching their heads. We know you’re supposed to try to use each social network as its own entity rather than recycling content. How though, can you use Google+ when you already publish your best social networking stuff on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the like? Well, first off, it’s easy to see the potential here. Google Plus already has 31 million users, and offers pages for both individuals and businesses. Google+ also has no ads, which many people prefer to the overrun Facebook website.
Why We Love Google+
In terms of business usage, remember the basics: your audience has to want to come to this page for some specific reason, usually an incentive or to show support for your brand. So began by personalizing your “vanity” URL so that you can effectively brand your company and integrate it with other domains and pages. You can also use the social network to create a biography and to upload a resume for your company.
What really helps to keep matters in perspective is to remember that Google Plus, much like any other social network page, is a point of contact, nothing more or less. Instead of thinking of the page as a formality, think of it as your first point of contact. Some clients may exclusively use Google Plus and will only find you because of your profile page here. Many people actually dislike Facebook for its invasive nature (not that Google Plus is much better, but it’s not as notorious as Facebook). Some people much prefer to keep their “worlds” separate from each other, for example, grandma not mingling with your bar friends, and clients not interacting with your old rambunctious college buddies. This is what makes Facebook unique…but it’s also what drives people away. With Google Plus, you can enjoy their “Circles” feature and keep all your friends organized into proper categories.
Another feature that makes Google Plus unique is their new “Hang Out” option, which combines the social media network with video chat. Not only does it offer the same services as Yahoo Video Chat, or any number of other webcams, but it also lets you conference chat with up to nine people. You can also take advantage of advanced sharing features, which let you view YouTube videos at the same time,
Create a Strategy or Mini-Business Plan for Google Plus
Ultimately, you have to develop a business strategy exclusively for Google+ before it becomes a profitable venture. You will not experience great success in marketing unless you focus on content. So, don’t merely treat Google+ as a game, or a social club like your personal Facebook account. Try to think of it as a way to create links, promote articles and direct traffic to your articles. This is what is going to be profitable to you in the long-term. All social networks are great tools to learn, but they in themselves are no replacement for a website that features full-length articles and in-depth reviews for new products and services.
What gets you found on the Internet, through search engines, is the content you produce. Little clips of text are excellent for linkbuilding but not for satiating the search engines which are looking for lengthy articles and blogs on specific subjects.
However, you would be missing out on a world of potential by not investigating the newest thing and capitalizing on all these new great features.
Valerie Mellema is the owner of Words You Want and has over 7 years experience in the SEO writing industry. Read about what Words You Want has to offer and learn some great content marketing tips at http://blog.wordsyouwant.com.
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