Google Plus Tips

Ok I bet I know what you`re going to say?

It is probably one of two answers…

  1. I have a Google Plus profile but have done nothing with it
  2. I don`t understand Google Plus

(And is it Google+ or Google Plus? I prefer Google Plus myself but then that`s just me!)

Why use Google Plus?

Before I share my 5 top Google Plus tips with you here is a brief explanation why I feel this platform is so important for your Social Media strategy…it is Google, Search Engines…that`s it!

Well there is a bit more to it than that including that at the time of writing this it now has 359 million users, more than LinkedIn and Twitter, yes it now has more users than Twitter. It can also greatly enhance your online presence for your business and surprisingly Google is taking notice of what is happening on Google Plus when it comes to ranking and indexing web pages.

My top 5 Google Plus tips

So to help you here are my 5 tips for using Google Plus for your business…

  1. Post often and be consistent – The most common problem with businesses is that they know they should be using Google Plus and set up an account, possibly go as far as adding content to their profile and then just do not have the time or inclination to post regularly on there, and it is understandable as you need to be running your business and doing what you`re good at and not wasting your time on ANOTHER Social Media platform! But stick with it, it has major benefits and done correctly it can greatly improve your search engine ranking.
  2. Make the most of #Hashtags – As with nearly all of the major Social Media these days (including Facebook, see my earlier Blog on Facebook Hashtags), you can use the Hashtag feature to good effect. Using a Hashtag in front of a couple of your main keywords can increase the exposure of your post. When inserting a Hashtag in front of a specific word your post will show up in the search results within Google+ when somebody searches for that word, for example I would use #SocialMedia or #Facebook in a post so when somebody searches for either Social Media or Facebook that post will appear in the results. The beauty of Google Plus is that it will now even suggest Hashtags for you.    image of hashtags on Google Plus
  3. Make the most of Google+ Local – You are probably aware of Google Places well this has now been replaced by Google+ Local. This is there to help users find and share places that are relevant to them or their location. Find out more about Google+ Local and create your page today
  4. Be part of a community – Google Plus has a Communities feature, similar to Groups on Facebook. I would recommend that you make the most of these and either join relevant Communities to your industry or location or even go as far as creating your own. You can even create your own private community and invite relevant people to your community. It is great for placing you as an authority or expert within your industry. By creating a public community you are able to regulate and control those that join or wish to join.
  5. Connect your website – Apart from adding a Google+ button to your website you need to connect it other ways within your Google Plus profile. You can add links within your profile to specific pages on your website and also add the Contributor link from your personal profile to your website or Blog. There can be major benefits by adding your `Author` tag and `Publisher` tag and linking your Google+ profiles to your website. You can find more info on this at Google Webmaster Tools.
  6. Bonus tip! – When adding a link to one of your web pages DO NOT add the link within the text of the post but make sure you add it using the link option available. Why? Adding it within the text the link is a NO FOLLOW link and using the link feature the link becomes a FOLLOW link, meaning that Google counts it as a link back to your website.

image of a Google Plus post

 

Google Plus is a hard one to get familiar with and not so easy to get used to using as regularly as say Facebook or Twitter but stick with it as this can have major benefits for your website, for you and for your business.

I hope you`ve found these tips useful.

Martin

If you require any help with your Social Media please get in touch as I offer a 1-2-1 Consultancy service where you can book just 1 hour or a number of hours where I can sit with you and go through any issues you have with Social Media.

This can be setting-up a profile, optimising it or just using a particular Social Media platform.

My fees are:

  • £35.00 per hour if the consultation is done by phone or Skype
  • £45.00 per hour if the consultation is at my office or at your premises within a 25 mile radius of Norwich.

Book your 1-2-1 today & get your Social Media working for your business!