8 Tips For Using Google+ For Business

 

Why does my business need to be on Google+? I thought my customers only used Facebook.”

This is a common sentiment many businesses have when they approach Google+. Most marketers and business owners don’t understand the true value of Google+ and often miss out on its cool features that can help brands build a stronger online presence.

According to the 2014 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 65 percent of marketers want to learn about Google+. Obviously, this shows a huge opportunity for marketers and business owners. While many social media users think Google+ is just another version of Facebook, it’s actually a complex platform that gives businesses the chance to build a stronger online brand for free.

Google+ is unique from any other social media platform because it allows businesses to build their online identity. Google+ gives brands the opportunity to maximize their online presence by combining different elements of their brand into a single platform.

If you’re unsure of the value of Google+, here are some impressive statistics to proves how your brand can benefit from using this platform:

• There are 300 million active users on Google+.
• Fifty-three percent of Google+ users experience a positive brand experience.
• The average amount of time spend on Google+ is seven minutes.
• Google+ has a growth rate of 33 percent each year.

As you can tell, Google+ is growing rapidly and will continue to grow for years to come. It’s just a matter of time until more businesses and marketers begin to realize how powerful Google+ can be for their online brand.

Not only will Google+ help you build brand awareness, but also it will improve your search engine ranking. If you’re curious about the benefits of using Google+ for your business, here are some tips to get you started and help you make the most of your Google+ experience:

1. Set up your Google+ page.

The first thing you need to do when getting started with Google+ is claim your business. After you claim your business, it’s important to fill out every section of your business page and utilize strong keywords for your product or service.

As you create your page, keep in mind the different elements that will attract your target customers. By using keywords your customers are using, you’ll reach more people with your Google+ business page.

2. Leverage your community.

Google+ has created a huge community of online users. This gives your brand the chance to get on the radar of your target audience.

Part of joining Google+ is building relationships with the users in your community. Whether it’s other businesses or customers, these people can help you grow your brand through creating and sharing engaging content.

This feature brings together a group of users with similar interests. Users can also join groups related to their interests in order to receive information, plan events, and engage with each other. This platform serves as a great way to boost the engagement with your users and build brand awareness.

3. Take advantage of Hangouts.

Google+ Hangouts provides users with the opportunity to connect with other users via its free video calling platform. This is a great tool for brands because you can conduct mini webinars, do consulting with customers, and even host an open forum. Utilizing Hangouts for your brand will give your business more of a human element and contribute to a stronger brand identity.

4. Write catchy headlines.

The secret to creating an awesome Google+ post is to make sure your headline is attention-grabbing. Your headline should be unique, interesting, useful, and spark excitement. It’s also important to make sure you headline is under 60 characters to ensure it’s the perfect length for sharing.

5. Incorporate visual content. 

If you’re struggling with your Google+ page, experiment with sharing interesting photos. Visual content performs extremely well on Google+ because it boosts engagement with followers.

Google+ is also useful for marketing campaigns that rely heavily on images. Auto Awesome, a Google+ tool, allows users to organize, create, and edit images. This makes it much easier to utilize images for any blog post or social media strategy.

6. Format your posts.

Google+ gives users a variety of options when it comes to customizing posts. In fact, you can even change the formatting of your text with the following codes:

• To create bold text, use asterisks. For example: *Your Text*
• To create italicized text, use underscores. For example: _Your Text_
• To create strikethrough text, use hyphens. For example: -Your Text-

7. Strategically use hashtags.

Hashtags are very useful for Google+ because this platform fosters a similar posting environment as Twitter. Pay close attention to trending articles on Google+ and utilize the hashtags that pertain most to your brand. The use of hashtags will help you boost your appearance online and get more of your content shared.

Hashtags are super important for businesses to use because it boosts SEO. When a Google search engine user types in a word or phrase, and your Google+ post contains a hashtag, your post will pop up in their search results.

8. Promote your Google+ page.

The only way you’ll get results from your Google+ business page is if you promote it like crazy. Throughout your website, make sure you have links available that connect to your Google+ business page. You should also include a widget on your website so visitors can easily discover your Google+ page without having to search Google.

Another way to promote your Google+ page is to include links in your newsletters, marketing emails, and any other online promotions you perform. You have to be proactive in telling people about your Google+ page, so make sure you share your page as much as possible!

Are you convinced it’s time to create a Google+ page for your business?

Although Google+ is still in its early stages, it’s still rapidly growing each year. Businesses who utilize Google+ will benefit from increased search engine results and more customer engagement. By following these tips for Google+, your business will be on it’s way to improved brand awareness and more interaction online.

What Google+ tips do you have for businesses?

 

Olivia Adams

Brand Manager at Come Recommended

Olivia Adams is the Brand Manager at Come Recommended. She is a graduate of Ferris State University with a B.S. in public relations. Olivia has experience in content marketing, writing, social media, branding, and public relations.