Many business owners and marketers have consistently spoken of the inherent disadvantages of using Google+. The most recent numbers attest to that as well. Turns out, the people who use Google+ don’t use it very much. Let’s look at the power of google+.
Google+ Does Not Have an Active User Base
People just don’t Hangout on Google+. That can be seen as a problem if you are seen as a social networking platform comparable to Facebook. However, Google+ is a different beast and needs to be looked at in a more holistic perspective.
Beyond A Meagre Social Network
Google+ is not just a social network. This is because it is interconnected with some of the most powerful applications that we use online. Just think of Google Search and Google Places: if you have a bigger presence on your Google+ Page, your performance on these other aspects of Google will be improved. Let’s look at some of the Google+ aspects that can help you.
1. Google+ As Content Marketing: Similar to Blogging
Think of this as a tool that is more similar to blogging. You can create italics, bold, and -strikethrough- text. Don’t forget images! No one criticises you for using too much text or taking up too much real estate on your home stream. You can go a little crazier than on other social media sites because the home stream isn’t exactly what matters. Don’t forget to optimize your posts with tags and lead your posts with keywords. It has similar rules to blogging! Take a look at Mike Elgan’s Google+ as a great example.
2. Google+ for Social Networking
There are benefits of using Google+ as a social networking tool. This especially holds true when your target audience prefers this social network. It’s all about what si good for your organization!
3. SEO Benefits of Google+
There are major SEO benefits to using Google+ and therefor make it a worthwhile endeavour. Let’s take a look at some of the major aspects:
- Authorship: link to content that you post all over the web to your Google+ profile.
- Content: posts are indexed almost immediately. Your Google+ pages and profiles are treated like regular web sites when it comes to search.
Remember, the people at Google wouldn’t just create a failing social network. There’s more to meet the eye than you would first let on. Make sure you take full advantage of all that Google+ has to offer. My bet is that it’s going to be around for a while! What do you think?
