Have it, need it, want it, don’t know what it is?? We don’t want to say Google+ is kickin’ butt and taking names, but I guess we just did.
Google+
Google+ (pronounced and sometimes written as Google Plus, sometimes abbreviated as G+) is a multilingual social networking and identity service[3][4] owned and operated by Google Inc. It was launched on June 28, 2011.[5] As of December 2012, it has a total of 500 million registered users of whom 235 million are active on a monthly basis.[1] Unlike other conventional social networks which are generally accessed through a single website, Google has described Google+ as a “social layer” consisting of not just a single site, but rather an overarching “layer” which covers many of its online properties.- credit giving to Wikipedia for this awesome information
New years resolutions anyone? Personal? Business? Ok, lets focus on your business and your social media marketing strategy. Maybe you have one, maybe you need one, maybe its a whirlwind of ideas and things you don’t yet understand. Well whether you have a internet marketing and social media business strategy in place or you need one Google + is a great choice and below are just a few of the reasons.
Just like most, we have spent many of hours researching, using and developing social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for a lot of businesses. We admit, when Google+ first came out in June of 2011 we invested some time but not a lot and truth be told didn’t find it all that exciting…but things have changed…for the better (for your business we might add).
But as we’ve watched the growth in features and effectiveness, relegating this social media channel to a second-tier status just doesn’t seem to be a good strategy anymore. Successful Inbound Marketing is predicated on being found when relevant prospects conduct an Internet search. Why not dedicate some time to a social media tool that will improve your chances?
We know it’s going to take some convincing, but here are 4 reasons you should add Google+ to your social media marketing resolutions for 2013:
Google is the Creator (think Google Juice)
Yes, hello Mr Obvious, however us being Mr Obvious helps you and your business to tune into this great tool then we will just have to be that guy. Of course all of us in the internet marketing world have to measure for Bing and Yahoo, but it is still safe to say that Google is the overwhelming leader. Let’s talk Search Engine Optimization – SEO, Google knows that one of its huge advantages is the ability to index posts, links, comments and interactions instantly in an effort to take over real time search. It just makes sense that Google+ content would show up more often and on top of any other social network out there, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
We are not walking away from Facebook by no means, in fact Facebook is a must have in any social media strategy. Critics of Google+ are quick to jump to the numbers, well here are just a few:
Total Registered Users: Facebook 800K – 1Billion vs Google+ 400 – 500K (depending on which reporting agency you trust and which camp you support, haha)
Total Unique Users per month: Facebook 149K vs Google+ 28K
Average User Time per month: Facebook 7+ hrs vs Google+ 3.3mins
Facebook is still the overwhelming leader in the Social Media world of Friends, Shares, Posts and Likes but never lose sight of this equation;
YouTube + GoogleLocal + (Google+) + Google Communities = GOOGLE and GOOGLE JUICE
Add Google Plus to your Social Media Marketing Strategy Today – Social Business Solutions
Segmenting your meaningful Contacts
People were not quick to adopt the Google+ Circles idea, however the tides are shifting towards Google+ Circles and segmenting your meaningful contacts.
Why segment? Why Circles? I think we call can agree that between all the different social media platforms and all the links, posts, pictures, movies, likes and comments these platforms have become very noisy if not completely overwhelming.
Google+ does a excellent job at allowing you the user to segment and parse your meaningful contact in any order you so desire, this allows you to focus on posts and activity that you desire at any given time.
Google+ is rapidly closing the gap with its competitors when it comes to improved tools marketers can use to engage with prospects and followers. When Google+ first introduced business pages, it only allowed direct interaction with users who had already added the page to their circles. That meant business pages weren’t able to +1 (kinda like a “Like” in the Facebook world), share, or comment on posts from users who had not added the page to a circle. That’s about to change, and now business pages will be able to interact with any user. The “Next Web” published a blog Dec. 28 2012 about the changes, which have subsequently been confirmed by Google.
The “Next Web” blog also detailed a dedicated Google+ analytics tool, though the search engine giant has backed off any specifics. When launched, the tool will provide specific data regarding which users are interacting with a page, how they interact, detailed demographics and information about users’ social activities including +1′s, shares, and comments.
That’s a treasure trove of information for marketers looking to determine what content leads to greater engagement.
When it comes to improved engagement, Google+ also introduced Communities in December 2012, a feature similar to Facebook and LinkedIn Groups, but with greater flexibility in filtering and finding relevant conversations. Google+ Communities can be a great tool for showcasing your company’s expertise. You are definitely going to want to read up on Google Communities, even though we are not so quick to jump on the bandwagon, some “experts” are saying it might just replace forums. More to come on this, be on the look out for future blog posts on this.
Its like Twitter Lists blended with forums, bubble wrapped in awesomeness.
Design is simple, easy to use
Things can get cluttered when working in social media, but Google+ does a lot to keep things simple. First of all, posts appear in your feed with the newest one on top and you don’t have to sort through a stream of app requests to view them.
The navigation is simple, and makes sense. Another big plus? No ads! At least not yet.
Google+ has taken a functional approach to its design, making it easy to post and engage.
With all the improvements Google+ has undergone in 2012, along with its growth to 500 millions registered users, it seems to have finally positioned itself a a top-tier social media channel. That’s not to say you should abandon or relegate your other social media profiles. Google+ should be seen as an additional opportunity.
The name of the game is increasing the opportunities for relevant prospects to find and engage with your great content. Google+ has matured to the point where it is an effective tool for sharing your content, engaging prospects and sending important social media signals to the search engines for improved rankings.
We’ll be working both collectively and individually to maximize our presence there in 2013. What do you think? Is 2013 the year you actively use Google+ for your social media marketing? We’d love the hear your thoughts on why or why not? Please feel free to share either in a comment below or on our Google+ Business Page by clicking the image below.
We save the new and awesome world of Google Communities for here in the near future, but be sure to stay tuned for that.
