Google+ provides users with an experience that is similar to that of Facebook (a news “Stream” based on status updates and shared content, recommended friends, etc.), with some unique features for organization and interaction. Your connections on Google+ are organized by “Circles”— where users can share content with specific groups, without it being seen by all of their connections. Google+ also offers “Hangouts,” where a number of users can connect through a
live video feed.
Google+ Pages are similar to Pages on Facebook, in that they separate your professional social activity from your personal, and give users a place where they can connect with your business online. Pages can also be added to “Circles” and can even host their own “Hangouts.”
With over 100 million users on Google+, Google is now a search engine with a self-fulfilling engagement platform. Those who actively participate on Google+ have a better chance of getting in front of their target audience via search results. As consumers begin to adopt and favor personalized search results via Google+, those brands and businesses that engage on Google+ will have an advantage over those who don’t.
Tip for Success
Setting up a Page on Google+ is easy. Even if you’re not sold on the quality of engagement
on Google+, there is still value in having a Page set up for the search value.
What’s good about Google+?
- Google has integrated Google+ search results into their search engine and only businesses on the social network will get picked up in these results.
- Even if your customers are not on Google+, they probably already search with Google and being on the social network will give you a better chance of being seen.
- Hangouts provide a unique opportunity to engage with customers face-to-face.
- Google+ is not yet “main stream” so you will have a better chance of standing out than on sites like Facebook or Twitter.
What’s not so good about it?
- Despite having 100 million users, Google+ still hasn’t seen the active engagement that sites like Facebook and Twitter have seen.
