5 Things Every Google+ For Business Page Should Have

Social networking is rapidly changing the course of marketing and how your business is found online by prospective customers.

Because the social media landscape is so big – and constantly growing – we’ve been posting guides about learning and using the current major business social sites.

Recent articles in this series offered tips about how to leverage Twitter to grow your business and how to maximize your LinkedIn profile. Next up is Google+ for Business.

Google’s Evolution Can Cause Confusion

Before we offer some tips about what should be on your Google+ for Business page, you should know that sometimes the deep and broad world of Google can be a bit confusing. You might want to take a deep breath (and grab a cup of coffee) before you continue reading.

Because Google has so many products that keep evolving and merging, it can be difficult to keep up with and understand them all. We’ll do our best to keep it as easy-to-digest as possible.

Let the Lesson Begin: Basics of Google+ for Business

The first thing to know is that Google My Business is the evolution of Google+, Google Local, and Google Places, all of which stemmed from Google Maps. (We weren’t kidding when we stated it can be confusing – and we haven’t even mentioned Google+ Brand Pages.)

A simple explanation of Google My Business is that it is the main dashboard you use to manage the information displayed on related Google products, such as your Google+ for Business page and Google Maps.

The purpose of this platform is to help local businesses be easily found on Google Search by people looking online for nearby outlets to buy stuff. If searchers can’t find you, they can’t buy your products or services.

Here are a few links to help you learn about this social platform directly from Google:

What’s on Google+ for Business

Further down this page are some articles, infographics, and a video, from social marketing experts. They can help you learn about setting up and improving your presence on Google’s social business platform.

The info below will cover, to one degree or another, 5 primary elements on your organization’s Google+ for Business page:

  1. Cover Photo – the big header at the top of the page that should quickly grab the attention of visitors
  2. About Section – a summary of your business and its background
  3. Business Hours – after you enter the info, this feature automatically updates daily to let customers know if and when you’re open for business
  4. Photos and Videos – a picture is worth a thousand words (cliché but true) and a moving picture with sound is worth even more
  5. Posts – articles about what’s happening in your business and your industry; good method to keep your page current and relevant

Learning From Those Who Know

Because we’re writing about a Google search-related platform, let’s first check in with arguably the foremost search engine consultant in the business. Of course, we’re talking about Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land. Danny is a technology journalist who started writing about the world of search engines back in 1997.

Danny’s articles and Search Engine Strategies conferences help propel search engine optimization from a nefarious web development activity to a full-fledged niche marketing industry. Here is what he has to say about Google My Business: Google My Business: A Visual Tour Of Google’s New Tool For Local Businesses & Brands

Google My Business: A Visual Tour Of Google’s New Tool For Local Businesses & Brands
via SearchEngineLand.com

It’s TV Tutorial Time

If you have about 10 minutes (11:09 to be exact), you might want to watch this Google My Business video tutorial by Fred Gillan.

Elements of Your Google+ for Business Page

HubSpot, an inbound marketing software platform that we use, offers its own explanation of Google My Business that takes Danny Sullivan’s article a little deeper. This article also discusses a few other elements of a Google+ for Business page beyond the 5 we mentioned above: Free Advertising on Google

HubSpot Blog: Free Advertising on Google
via HubSpot Blogs

Google+ for Business Best Practices Infographic

If you like or learn best from infographics, the Social Times blog (from AdWeek) has created a series of them that cover why you should use Google+, some basic information, a few best practices, a short Q&A, as well as metrics for measuring your page’s effectiveness: Best Practices For Using Google+ as a Business [Infographic]

Best Practices For Using Google+ as a Business [Infographic]
via AdWeek Social Times

Don’t Ignore Your Google+ for Business Page

If you have not verified and set-up your Google+ for Business page, what are you waiting for?

Use the information above to guide you through the process of establishing and growing your social presence on Google. If you would like some hands-on assistance, contact us. We’ll be glad to help you set-up and maintain this important marketing asset.

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