Utilizing Google Plus to Improve Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Google Plus is a widely underutilized tool in marketing your business. Once you stop treating is as yet another social network like Facebook or LinkedIn, you can begin capitalizing on the potential it has to offer.

• Optimize Search Engine Results: Information from your Google+ account, such as phone number, address, 5 star reviews, can be integrated into the ads already paid for at generally no additional cost. This is helpful with pay-per-click search engine results since viewers don’t need to actually click on the link to find out your contact information. Having a business profile on Google+ can also improve search results for people in your “circles.”
• Setup Authorship: Google’s “authorship” feature links articles and blog posts you’ve written to your Google+ profile when they appear in search engine results. Enabling Google authorship can be tricky, so you’ll want to involve your web designer or social media consultant to help. Your profile picture is also displayed alongside the article, which makes for a nice attention grabber. Similar to authorship, Google+ also allows you to feature reviews from your customers. Positive online reviews can be a game-changer and can work wonders for your search engine results since they appear right alongside your website.

The unique tools Google+ provides can help you further engage with your audience and focus in on your niche market.

• Google+ Communities: The Google+ community feature can help businesses establish themselves as a thought leader in their areas of expertise. With similar abilities as LinkedIn, you can create discussions around certain topics and increase engagement with your niche audience.

• Hangout On Air: Go beyond the basic slide presentations with the Hangouts feature of Google+. With the ability to conference in up to 10 people, this cost-effective solution can broadcast your video conference all over the world.  “Hangouts on Air” broadcasts your conference to a live stream while also recording it for later use.  Google+ features allow you to have a panel with screen sharing, ultimately increasing engagement and interaction. While most webinars are limited to static slides and the voice of one or two presenters, Hangouts on Air allows participants to join in the conversation using real-time audio and video.

Google Plus helps keep both consumers and internal company members connected.

• Events: Similar to Facebook events, Google+ has the ability to create and promote events with a more professional-looking interface. The events you create also integrate very well into Google Calendar, so your invitees that are using Gmail or Google Apps for Business will appreciate that your event is automatically placed in their calendar when they RSVP.

Michael Spadaro

Michael is the Founder and CEO of Profound Cloud, an award-winning IT consulting firm that helps businesses save time and money using innovative technologies and a member of the Brother Small Business Advisory Panel. Michael’s forward-thinking approach to technology recently earned his company a spot on CRN’s Next-Gen 250 list of solution providers that are on the cutting edge of technology and business model shifts.
www.profoundcloud.com