As the hype around Google+ continues to build, it will be interesting to see what kind of platform it becomes for businesses and branding. Facebook has become such a Mecca for marketers because of the large number of users. Most of the other monster social networking platforms began as small companies and mounted their rise to the top. With Google’s size and sheer domination of the search market, Google Plus is currently the go-to platform for creating and nurturing online communities.
Google Plus has created a significant buzz through its test trials. Its arbitrary methods for allowing people into the test run are frustrating but have people talking. Given its growth and unique features among its social media competitors, brands and businesses are quickly taking notice of the benefits of using Google Plus for business.
How Does Google Plus Compare to Other Social Media Platforms?
The layout and concept of Google Plus are very similar to Facebook. It offers the circles feature, which is a more user-friendly way to segment your groups of friends. For instance, potential customers don’t need to be seeing the same posts that your family and friends see. Your boss doesn’t need to see the pictures of your weekend exploits, etc.
It’s also likely that the G+ built-in video chat sent Facebook scrambling to incorporate Skype. Video chat will make both networks a utility tool for busy employees that cannot otherwise find the opportunity to sit down in the same room for a meeting.
Another nice thing is that G+ ties in with the rest of the Google services. On the top left bar, they offer links to Gmail, Reader, web search, documents, and other services, all from their social network. With easy access to apps and computer documents, this could prove to be more of a headache for Microsoft and Apple, than Twitter or Facebook.
3 Reasons To Have a Google Plus Page for Business
Did you know that there are over 359 million active users of Google+? Despite the attention other social media platforms get, Google Plus is still one of the most beneficial platforms for businesses when it comes to growing communities, targeting and nurturing the right leads, and creating connections with influencers.
Influencer Targeting
Since Google Plus is the new kid in town, it is not as crowded as other social media channels, which makes it a great platform for businesses looking to build communities. In fact, because of its lack of saturation, it is a great medium where to stand out and connect with influencers who are active social media brand advocators.
Power of Communities
Google Plus is a forum that hosts a community based on specific interests where members can create conversations around common topics. Users have the ability to create public and private communities and choose to share which content they want to share on each community page. This community building is a great opportunity for brands to spread awareness of their work and business. It is likewise a place to understand one’s community needs and answer your community’s most pertinent questions.
Google Plus Circles
A great benefit of Google+ is that it utilizes a circle feature that allows you to group individuals by categories – such as friends, colleagues, family, and more – in order to control who can view your posts. This makes Google+ very targeted and can help businesses create messaging that speaks to each customer avatar that they’re prospecting. Your message will then notify the right audience and will speak to their pain points strategically.
How do Businesses Use Google Plus?
There are a few brands that have rushed to create personal profiles, such as Ford, Mashable, and an increasing number of others. Google ultimately hints at using social proof as an SEO signal, and it is now known that company profiles on its site help elevate the business in Google’s eyes – which is a wonderful perk for many brands looking to grow.
Google Plus is also beneficial for local SEO. For example, businesses can provide more information to Google, such as location, contact details, services and products sold, as well as other relevant details. And, if a business does things right in terms of Google Plus business page optimization, it may receive a snippet with its information on the right side of the Google search page when users look for the business.
Overall, having affiliations with Google through Google Authorship does help when it comes to rankings. Google authorship is created when a business links its Google+ profile with its blog content. By doing so, a business verifies its content ownership further, giving a signal to Google that it is trustworthy and authoritative.
Social media marketing can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are just a few of our top resources to help you understand and navigate which platforms are best for your business:
Google Places, Google+, and Authorship
Does Your Company’s Social Media Need a Makeover?
Final Thoughts
Judging from what’s been made available through Google Plus, the platform truly stands out from other social media channels in its ability to diversify and target group messaging. We believe it will be around for a long time, and with a quality business page system, it can be an excellent vehicle for business branding, communication, and SEO growth.
Do you have growing marketing needs that are too hard to handle alone? Idea Marketing Group is here to help! We are a Chicago design company that specializes in custom web design and digital marketing, and we’re proud to have helped hundreds of businesses achieve their goals since 2009.