Can Google+ Benefit Your Small Business?
Written by: Although Google+, and more so it’s Google+ pages, is still in its infancy, businesses can certainly benefit from venturing into the space and spending time to build up a presence within the burgeoning community.
Most importantly, being in Google+ allows you to control your business’s brand and message. Currently, Google+ has very little in the way of security and authenticity so you should get onto the site and create a space for yourself as a protection measure.
Even if you do not have the time to cultivate the space at the moment, consider establishing a page as a placeholder as much as anything.
I suggest taking the following one-two approach as soon as possible:
- Create a Google Plus Page
Go to https://plus.google.com/pages/create and establish a page. If you have a local business with a physical location use the “Local Business or Place” option and find your business listing as it is featured in Google Places (take this time to claim your Google Places listing while you are at it!) - Adding Google Plus to your Website
After you’ve built a page, create a link and badge at https://developers.google.com/+/plugins/badge/config that will go on your website. This badge will help to establish a link between your website and Google+ page. It will also give your clients on your website a quick way to discover your Google+ page.
With this page established, you’ll be able to add updates about your business and have a space that your business controls in which you can communicate and converse with your client base.
Google+ Features – Circles and Hangouts
One of the more attractive features on Google+ is their Circles feature, which is a way to sort the profiles you follow. You can have as many Circles as you want, named whatever you want and can add a single profile into multiple Circles.
Note: A Google+ page can only add people to Circles that have added the page, so it’s important to make your page enticing to people to follow with great updates and content.
Once someone has added your business, you can add them back. Think about how your business targets different demographics and create your circles accordingly. Updates can then be crafted to and sent to those specific demographics. If you are having a sale on women’s shoes, you can send a message only to women (if that is a circle) and write the message so that it appeals to women.
Another attractive feature on Google+ is Hangouts, which is a group video conferencing. A business could setup a Hangout to talk about their latest products, offer live customer service, or a tour of facilities. You are limited only in imagination and what you want to talk about with your audience.
At its core essence, Google+ provides another outlet for you to engage your current clients, expand your client base and increase brand awareness with great content, great offers and timely responses. Google has stated they are fully committed to making Google+ work, and as a business you should be fully committed to making Google+ work for you.
Ryan Miller is the SEO Manager for Advance Digital. You can follow him on Twitter and add him to your Circles on Google+
