The decision may not yet be final as for the significance of
Google+ for personal users. But for those who own a small business, Google+
must not be ignored. It's not just another attention-grabbing social network
that a small business can use to increase its presence online, but Google+ is
also one great resource to maximize visibility on Google search pages. The
reason why every business owner should be on Google+ is because it works
alongside with Google Search. This includes potentially ranking higher on
search results, integration with important Google for Business services, and
the ability to attract customers by providing key business information such as
location and directions, contact number, photos, reviews, and many others -- right
on search pages. Google+ also lets you promote posts, specials, deals, and
other content to a variety of audiences -- whether it's from those in your
Google+ "Circles" or from people who simply want to search for your
business in Google.
However, you need to learn more about Google+ other than signing
up for an account and sharing posts. Being able to use Google+ effectively with
your small business helps in your strategy to attract more customers and engage
with them better at the same time. Here are some Google+ do's and don'ts that
you may want to check out so that you can properly make use of this powerful
social network.
The main difference
between Google+ and other social networks is that it is the social network from
Google. This means that one of the largest benefits to using Google+ is its SEO
value. Business owners should take this opportunity by combining their Google+
Local Page (your maps listing) and their Google+ Business Page. Through this, a
business will have the chance to rise to the top during location-based
searches.
To help users stay
engaged on your Google+ page, adding images of your business headquarters is
one effective step. In addition, these images will be seen on your brand's
search engine result pages (SERP) if you are locally verified. This will also
give users a sense of security to work with your business online once they have
clear visibility of your location, and what your office(s) and employees look like.
As part of your efforts
to gain a large group of followers, add people to your circles so that you'll
get a chance to be added to theirs. It is best to focus on people within your
industry, as well as potential customers and professional acquaintances. Once
you reach a certain number of followings, that number will be displayed next to
your link when you show up in an organic search result on Google. Another thing
about having a high number of followers in your circles boosts your authority
with Google, thus improving your search rankings.
It might seem irrelevant,
but doing a proper research on how your content will reach the proper target
audience can go a long way. What do people like about your product or services?
What do they normally talk about when it comes to your product or services? Do
these consumers mostly consist of male or female? Do these consumers mostly
located in the East Coast or West Coast? It's useless to waste crucial time on
a content that is not reaching the right audience.
Draw the attention of
viewers by formatting your posts with bold, italics, and indentation. You can
also include images in your postings that will attract people to read it. Use
#hashtags as well so that there is an increased likelihood that other users
searching will find your mini-blog postings.
Reach out to your
customers and offer them your Google+ link to leave a review. Reviews will help
build credibility for your business and give you a better edge among your
competitors.
By following other
businesses and figures that are related to your industry, this could lead to
potential business opportunities down the line or just give you an awareness of
important industry news and updates -- so you're always in the know.
Before anything else,
make it a point that all important business information is supplied on your
Google+ business page. Avoid skipping any important details and be sure to add
as many images of your business as possible. Make sure to use keywords you want
to rank for and keywords your customers are using to locate your business when
filling out your profile. Also, make it a habit to link out to important pages
on your website within your profile as Google+ allows you to do this.
Take advantage of
Google+'s great openness toward interacting with followers. It's very hard to
communicate with your customers in Facebook because it doesn't let you reach
out to them via your business page -- so they have to reach out to you first.
You can offer them discounts, coupons, or simply just check in with them and
continue building a relationship. That's exactly what Google+ allows you to do.
Google+ allows as much two way conversation as you want. You can tag people
people in your posts before they reach out to you. So go ahead and be the first
to engage in the conversation with your customers, don't wait for them to come
to you.
Don't make it a habit of
posting too much in a community or just be plain annoying, because people can
definitely tell if you are. People in Google+ are there for a reason and are
able to sense if you are a potential spammer. If ever you get blacklisted as a
spammer, then you're in trouble. Usually, it's hard to get out of that list and
make headway in the community. So better not screw it up.
While it's great to post
tons of food pics, lifestyle pics, things that you do before going to bed --
just make sure to do it on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,
etc. Always keep in mind not to post these stuffs on Google+, especially on
your business page.
Segment your customers.
Most businesses have different types of customers, and if possible, add
customers in different circles on Google+. This will enable you to provide more
targeted content and have a better chance of engaging with your customers.
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