Google+ is Worth a Look, Maybe More

Groans were heard around the globe as another social media platform emerged. Another place to create content? Another place to engage? Are there enough hours in the day?

You bet. Especially when it’s Google+.

Google+ Pages for Business launched November 7 and with it, a social network that goes beyond just social. Google+ layers in tie-ins to search, advertising and more dynamic communications channels like “hangouts” that give it the potential to weave itself into the very fabric of the web.

The Google+ audience is currently rooted in a tech and marketing crowd. Brands may question the importance of engaging its users if that isn’t who their target audience is. However, because of Google+’s strong tie to search, a presence within it goes well beyond user engagement.

The bottom line: Brands whose success relies heavily upon search need to have a Google+ presence and +1 content to remain competitive in organic search.

With this brief background, short-term recommendations include:

• Create a Google+ Page for your business or at least claim it. This allows you to position your company or organization for potential future growth in this space at the right level of engagement for your brand – at the right time in the Google+ evolution.
• If search is key to the success of your business, create a more robust level of content within the platform.
• Create content unique to the platform. This isn’t Facebook, and it isn’t Twitter. Content can be topically consistent across the platforms, but should be written uniquely for the space.
• Allow your content to be shared. With this new platform, add +1 buttons wherever “Like,” “Recommend” and “Tweet” buttons live.

Are there limitations to Google+? Absolutely. However, we do know that Google is committed to it and will continue to evolve its offerings.

Want to see more? Check out what we’ve been up to with Culver’s and its Google+ page.