Many businesses are still skeptical about Google+.
They don’t know if having a Google+ business page will actually add any value.
I don’t blame them — Google hasn’t done the best job explaining the network.
But that’s no excuse for ignoring Google+!
Google’s social network is important — for many reasons!
And here are 5 no-brainer reasons to get your business on Google+ today.
5 No-Brainer Reasons Google Plus Is Right for Your Business
1. You’re On Google+ Already — and Don’t Even Know It
Do you have a Gmail account? Then you’re on Google+.
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When you set up a Gmail account, you automatically set up a Google+ profile, too.
To get to Google+, log into your Gmail account. In the upper right corner you’ll see your name (or the name that you used to set up the account) with a + sign in front of it. Click it to be taken to your Google+ profile.
It’s very important to at least add a good head shot & fill in your profile “About” info.
How should you fill out your profile? Here’s an excellent explanation:
2. Local Google Listings Connect to Google+
For a local business, a Google Places listing is one of the most important online listings you can have. Google gives preference to the Places listing when a city is entered into the search bar.
But, what many businesses don’t realize is that Google integrated the Places listings with Google+ a while back.
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Now, when a Google Places listing is clicked it links to what’s called a “Google+ Local Page”. This page must be filled out by the business. Many haven’t been & some even link to the wrong Google Places page.
An easy way to find out which Google+ Local page links to your Google Places is to type the name of your business in the search engine. Find the Places listing (it should look like the below example) and click “Google+ Page.”
If you’ve properly set up your Google+ page & linked it to your Places listing, it should contain a profile picture, cover photo, about information, links, etc.
Here’s an example of what not to do:
3. It’s Easy to Connect with Potential Clients & Influencers
Other social networks have become so big & noisy that it’s hard to actually have meaningful conversations. That’s where Google+ excels.
People on Google+ take their time to converse.
For a major social network, Google+ is still small. It’s not as crowded as Facebook, which makes it a lot easier to chat with others.
4. It Helps Your SEO
The people you have in your Google+ circles & interaction you receive on Google+ posts can affect how you & your business appear in Google search results.
In other words, Google+ IS Google. Need I say more?!
Using Google+ can improve your SEO!
Your Google+ posts are indexed by Google & can appear in search results. And what business doesn’t want to be found on page one of Google?
Below is an example of a Google+ post that was indexed on page one of the search results.
5. Hangouts On Air Are AWESOME!
If the first 4 reasons in this article don’t attract you to Google+, the Hangouts On Air feature should because it’s a game changer!
All businesses should use video to build rapport with clients & potential customers. But you used to need lots of equipment & it took lots of time & energy to create videos.
Not anymore!
Now you just need a smartphone & Hangouts On Air.
Google explained Hangouts On Air like this:
With Hangouts On Air, you can broadcast live discussions & performances to the world through your Google+ home page & YouTube channel. You can also edit & share a copy of the broadcast.
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The possibilities are endless. Here are just a few of the powerful ways you can use Hangouts On Air:
- Meeting / Consultation
- Video
- Interview
- Client Testimonial
- Show — Video or Podcast
Hangouts are automatically recorded right to your YouTube channel. When you’re done recording, you can edit right inside YouTube OR download, edit & upload.
Be sure to add keywords in the title, body & tags to give you a better chance of getting indexed by the search engine. Since Google has given preference to Hangouts On Air over other videos uploaded to YouTube, your chances of front page results are even greater with a Hangout!
I edited this Hangout with a few keywords & within minutes, these were the results:
Conclusion
Unfortunately, bad press gave Google+ a bad rap — and undeservedly so!
Small business owners are afraid of Google+… and that fear must end. Google+ gets better every day.
If your business cares about how Google & video affect your results & sales, then I think it’s best to look deeper into what this platform can do for you.
Google+ has been a tremendous asset for me!
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