So you are not on Google+? Doesn’t surprise me. Most people that I know are not on Google+. And the very, very few people that I know who are on Google+ are not very active on it.

Well, I’m on Google+. I log on everyday. At first it was mostly because I had to, for my job of course. (Don’t know who I am or what I do? See my short bio here: Jessica Damiani) The thing is, the more that I was on it, the more I started to understand it. The more I started to understand it, the more I started to like it. When I realized what a powerful tool it is for businesses and individuals alike, I fell in LOVE.

(One more reason for me to love you, Google.)

This is me after I finished my first half marathon. Google helped me train for it. 🙂

So why exactly is Google+ important? Well first of all, it’s Google. Duh.

Let me explain. According to comScore, Google held almost 70% of the search engine market share in November, 2012. That means that nearly 70% of people who conducted searches on the Internet used Google as their search engine of choice. Although Google+ may not be as popular of a social network such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest, being on Google+ is a very important part of search, especially in the local search world. That leads me to the second point, local search.

So what exactly is local search? According to ClickZ, local search is “any search aimed at finding something within a certain area” or an online search for anything that you would traditionally look for in the printed yellow pages.  Since Google runs the local search world, it is important for businesses to have a presence on Google+.  Why? Because Google+ pages appear in search results and eligible Google+ pages show up on the right-hand side of the Google search results page when the business is relevant to a customer’s search. Relevant posts can also show up within search results for your page’s followers.

Our client, South Tampa Smiles, is on Google+ and successfully appears on the right hand of the search page.

 

Google recommends the following three steps in order for your Google+ page to become eligible to show up on the right hand side of relevant searches.

  1. Create a Google+ profile or page. Be sure to verify your page and fill out the about section to let people know who you are and what your business is about.
  2. Build an engaging following. Grow your audience so more people can join in the discussion around the content you post and make your profile or page stand out.
  3. Keep the conversation going. Tell your story and post content regularly (within the last 72 hours) to make sure that when people search for you, you have fresh posts to engage with them.

In order to improve the likelihood of your Google+ content appearing whenever it is relevant, you should link your Google+ Page to your website by installing a small snippet of code. This code lets Google know that your website is associated with an official Google+ Page.

What kind of content should be shared on Google+? The Google+ audience is looking for fresh, smart, relevant content. Remember, Google+ audience likes to talk and conversations matter in Google.

 

If you have more questions about your business and Google+ or if you have a Google+ page but you are not sure if you are maximizing your efforts, please contact us for a FREE SEO and social media analysis.

Adventures in Google+ Land been written by: Jessica Damiani, Social Media Coordinator for Webhead Interactive.
Circle Jessica Damiani on Google+

Blog by Webhead Interactive