As the value of social media becomes more and more obvious, more companies are going to offer alternatives to Facebook. As Google attempts to grab a piece of the pie with “Google+” you might find yourself asking “Why do I need another Social Media platform?”
Whether you’ve been interested in getting a G+ account since its launch last summer , or have avoided the option altogether – here are some important reasons you should be interested; particularly if you manage social media pages for a business. Take a look:
Google+ Changes Search Results
- G+ uses “circles” as lists to decide which friends get which information from you
- People who have your company’s G+ page in their circles are going to see your company featured more prominently in Google search results
- If you implement “+1” buttons on your company’s website, G+ members have the option of “Plusing” a page, or even the whole domain by clicking the button
- The resulting “Plus’s” are then tallied, and the total number is shown next to the button
- +1 votes for your site can affect its Quality Score – which is crucial for working on a budget for paid ads in google
- Websites using +1 buttons on their site get 3.5x more visits to their G+ pages (hubspot.com data 5,000 businesses)
- Implementing +1 buttons is a balance between the benefits of generating traffic / subscribers, and the aesthetic of web pages littered with social sharing buttons
- +1 buttons can also have both positive and negative effects on your click through rates – as searchers have a “preview” of the supposed quality of each page
- They may be more likely to click if the +1 count is high, but might never click if its low – this may result the loss of the exploratory click that would otherwise have occurred
“Direct Connect”
- By placing “+Business Name” in search box and hitting enter, the searcher goes directly to businesses G+ page
- This requires official setup and linking on G+ platform to company website
- If someone types “+YourBusiness” in the search box, don’t you want to appear when they hit enter?
Getting the Most from G+ After Setup
- Share as many images as possible, the platform is designed around sharing (particularly photos) and it’s the best way to ignite conversation
- Add “recommended links” to the sidebar
- Promote G+ on blog and website to gain subscribers
- Directly ask subscribers to share your content with their unique circle
- Track G+ traffic results at http://www.plus.Google.com
The Bottom Line
Whether you wanted another social platform or not, Google+ is here – and Google is unafraid to leverage their extremely high relevancy on the web to make their social network relevant as well. This isn’t bad news though! You might find that with some dedication and nurturing, you end up getting a much more tangible result from G+ that you ever have with facebook.
Google+ is a great way for companies to stay connected to their customers and each other. As more and more people get onboard, the opportunity only grows larger.
Don’t have a Google+ page yet? Create one now, and
today!
As the never ending flow of new tech gadgets continues to dazzle consumers, many assume that this will be the end of print media altogether. While we already know the passion for print marketing materials remains strong – we have to recognize that a resounding enthusiasm for print periodicals also exists.
