Google Plus – WHATS GOING ON?

Big changes coming to Google – will it have an effect on you?

A big announcement happened when Vic Gundotra announced that he would be leaving his position with Google Plus. Even more concerning was the lack of any mention toward what would become of the slightly disappointing platform Google Plus.

At the moment all we have is speculation – but I would wager that whether or not changes are coming to the platform, nothing is being completely discarded. Google is a large enterprise with the requisite business savvy to keep them on top. They have likely taken a close look at performance and are planning a different structure to better serve their audience’s needs.

Google Plus has been an attempt at bringing search and social together on one platform. To that end – I think this brain-child was a great dream. The reason that social media is often under supported is the complexity of proving the return on investment. Money spent on SEO and Google Ad Words ensures that your content is already being placed in the hands of the right audience. They were already searching for what you have to offer. Combine the search with the ability to interact socially  and in theory, you have a perfect conversion environment.

We may not know what will happen to Google Plus tomorrow, but in the meantime here are some tips for getting the basics out of Google Plus today.

Create your Profile:

In order to capture or create your business listing – you should first capture and create a personal profile. You can easily sign up for an account by visiting https://accounts.google.com/SignUp. Enter your information and follow the prompts to your new Google+ personal profile. Be sure to update a professional image and at least some basic information about yourself.

Claim your business:

You can claim an existing listing online or create a new listing easily by navigating Google plus to the “Pages” option in the menu. Follow on page instruction for “Get Your Page” and you are well on your way to getting your business up and running on Google Plus. Once you have captured that listing – be sure to optimize your page with a dynamic cover photo and a profile photo that represents your business (think: logo).

Build your circles:

The great thing about Google Plus as a marketing device is that you are able to build “circles”. These are groups of people who have opted-in to see your content. The bigger your circles, the larger a captive audience you can market to. An added bonus: These people can receive emails with updates on when you share new content. You can make it straight to their inbox!

Begin Posting:

You have the location, you have the audience, now it’s time to start providing them with cultivated, dynamic content. Consider using the 80-20-10 rule here. 80% of your content should be original, interesting content about what it is your business provides as a service or product. 20% of your content should be interesting information that you are sharing from outside sources. The final 10% of your content can be used as promotions or specials that your company is sharing publicly.