Google + Brand Pages is a Must-Have for Businesses

Google’s recent venture last summer into the world of social networking with its’ Google + (Plus) project resulted another social network, and they have already launched a new addition to their offerings. With several innovative features and tools of Google+, Google has found a way to compete with Facebook, and appeal to business customers with it’s Google + Brand Pages, launched in November, 2011.

Google + is a major player in the social media landscape and should not be ignored by business owners.

You’re probably thinking, “Must I dedicate my time into another social network when I already spend a considerable amount of time building relationships on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social channels and I also invest time into writing my blog?”

I say, “Oh, absolutely!” because unlike the present popular social network Facebook, being on Google+ means having more interesting features to use your web life as your real life.

Circles, Hangouts, Huddles, Instant Uploads, and Sparks are the current features developed and you can have a tour demo here ‘Circles’ can be used to differentiate your buddies.   ‘Hangouts’ can be used in conversation with your friends like group chat.  Instant upload allows users to share their photos instantly while the video is running.  Sparks can be used to keep your interests in one place and watch them when you are free.

How does this new platform impact Internet marketing for business owners? Introducing the Brand Pages a short time after launching Google+, Google has seen good participation from leading brands.  It currently has 50 million users.

What’s unique about Google+ is that it bridges the gap between business networks like LinkedIn and social channels like Facebook.  Google+ opened up its accessibility to the businesses by allowing them to manage their Google + Business Pages from their Gmail account.  This strikingly fresh feature has already positioned this new social media network uniquely from the rest of the pack.  Google+ offers business marketers a whole new platform to reach out to their consumers and also to interact with other brands.

What Makes Google+ a Must-Have?

SEO + Social

First, adding the benefit of social to its existing SEO was an opportunity for Google that was absent from its offerings far too long.  Google, with its algorithms, has led the industry in search for many years, but now they can better understand what visitors are really looking for by a number of people ‘+1ing’ content.

Googles’ business pages are tied to Google search algorithm.  In the quest to be found first, one needs to consider those avenues where they can be found by the search bots. Businesses should be active with a Google’s search algorithm as much as possible.  Each time you interact on the Google+ platform it gradually improves your intelligence and thus improves search results.

The major advantage for businesses with the Google+ Brand Pages is its unique ability to develop Circles,  a concept delivered at the Google+ launch back in the month of June this year.  You can see in Google’s search results page what people in your Circles have +1’d.

THE FACEBOOK FOR BUSINESS

It should be kept in mind that potential consumers often include friends of friends who can only be reached by means of fresh content that businesses should share often enough so that they get noticed in the Google+ stream like on the Facebook wall.

Business owners must take particular note that Facebook Pages and the Google+ Business Pages are considered the most emergent and best way to communicate with customers and also to drive conversation with prospects and followers.

Being able to manage who receives your information is considered an advantage over the wall concept of Facebook. The unique ability to segment messages and to share content within the circle of customers and not any other person is the key element for a local business marketer to consider.

HANGOUTS

Google+ Brand Pages, like any other social network offers users the ability to endorse and share content. The pages allow its users to post comments, upload photos and to tag the brand’s content.  The Hangout feature of this new social network even allows businesses to have an interaction with people in their circles through video conference solutions for businesses, in addition to friends who can have a video chat.

In the lower right sidebar of the stream, next to the yellow camera, there’s a small button  for Google+ Hangouts  —  which have real benefits to help with your business development.

5 Ways to Use Hangouts to Grow Your Business

The adoption of videoconferencing is predicted to explode over the next 3 years.  By 2015 90% of all internet traffic will be video of some form.

Unlike video conferencing, a Google+ Hangout is more interactive without special equipment.  You can see everyone as they talk so you don’t lose nonverbal communication.

Google+ Hangouts feel very natural, so people can easily work together.

Here are 5 ways Hangouts can be of use to growing your business right away.

1. Use a Google+ Hangout as a focus group forum and you can get qualitative research minus the associated expense.

2. Use a Google+ Hangout to launch your next product by inviting your customers, the press, or other influencers to a Hangout and launch your product there.

3. Google+ Hangouts enhance your businesses engagement – a Google+ Hangout personalizes your brand in a way unmatched on other social media channels.  Customers and prospects can see and hear the faces of your brand — not just read the brands’ words.   They can ask questions or just hear what you have to say about the brand.  Face-to-face, they’re building a more intimate relationships with your brand.

4. Demonstrate your product on a Google+ Hangout and add a live audience to interact with the demo.  Unfortunately, Google has not integrated recording into hangouts.

5. Use Google+ Hangouts for Internal meetings and training – delivering live events and seminars, sales meetings, and strategy sessions.

Google blog posts about the Hangout in the participant’s streams once the Hangout is over.  This feature takes advantage of the social aspects of sharing to encourage participation both in attending the Hangout and in discussing the topics after the Hangout.

All of these wonderful features are found to be great and seem to be right in line with what social networks like Facebook already provide.

While  Skype is integrated into Facebook, the drawback is that you can’t host 10 people on Skype like you can in a Google+ Hangout.

The Google team says by using these options you can have the real life experience via Google + and that real life is the future of Social media in the web world.

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