Although many think Google+ is a ghost town, the truth is, it currently has over 300 million active users and the number increases daily. Although Facebook continues to maintain a strong advantage over most industry segments, Google overtook Facebook and LinkedIn by a narrow margin in the B2B segment last quarter .
Some of the benefits of Google+ are: free live video conferencing available through Google Hangouts, great communities, and powerful analytics tools. And let’s not forget the Google connection: with quicker indexing and posts appearing on search results, you can not ignore the necessity of your business’ presence on Google+.
Do you want to get started on Google+? This infographic from Plus Your Business is a great guide on what to do and expect your first month on the network.
Getting Started
Set up your Google+ profile: Use a clear headshot and an attractive image as your cover photo. Keep in mind that this image will be associated with your content in Google Search. You should link your website to your Google+ profile and add some Google+ badges. If you are a company, you can add a Brand Page, but people relate better to a personal profile when new.
Meet the neighbors: Use hashtags to search for people with similar interests. Add them to your circles. If you search for hashtags and ‘circle’ (e.g. ‘#SmallBusiness Circles’), you can add big groups of people at once to your circles. It’s possible that many of them will add you back.
Engage: You can view your circle’s content in the news feed. Make sure to +1 and comment the content you relate with. Not only will this help Google understand what content you enjoy, but it will also give other members a chance to connect with you. You can also join communities, watch events, and use hangouts to meet other Google+ members.
What to Avoid
As in any networking event, be social. Don’t go around self-promoting and asking people to add you to their circles. Be authentic, but be polite. As people get to know you, they will start adding you back.
Google+ Is a Friendly Place
I have found that Google+ is a great place to network. If you are new and don’t understand something, just let people know. There is always someone willing to assist.
Source: Plus Your Business
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