Plenty of businesses are already on board with fully functional Twitter and Facebook feeds, but it’s about time companies got started with Google+. Google’s social media option allows companies to take advantage of both social networking and SEO benefits, and the site allows people to connect with the increasing numbers of people adding Google+ to their social media routines.
The first step in building a good presence on Google+ is to fill out your company profile as much as possible. The profile section should include detailed information about what your company does, with strong keywords to attract the most people to your page. Google+ has particularly reader-friendly formatting for these descriptions, so take advantage with a list of services and important links, like your website and contact addresses.
You should also consider setting up your account with Google Authorship. This is an increasingly popular offering with Google+ that allows people to connect their home websites with Google+ in exchange for SEO benefits. When you link Google+ on your page, Google returns the favor by allowing you higher search ranking and the option of adding an author photo next to your links that appear on Google search lists. These links tend to draw more attention, and your profile will receive far more traffic. Of course, you can also boost your search results by posting often and including strong keywords in your content, just like you would on your website.
In terms of connecting with people, it pays to use all of the features unique to Google+. One of those is the circles feature, which allows people to join different sharing groups based on interest or their relationship with one another. Friends can have an exclusive circle, but there are also lots of shared circles. Take a look at Google’s directory of shared lists and join on with the ones that relate to your business.
Remember that when you’re developing your business profile on Google+, it helps to maintain your personal profile as well. You can’t bring people into your business’s circle until they’ve brought you into their circle, so try to connect with relevant users in other settings. Connecting with other users personally is a good first step to adding them to your business’s network.
In general, the key is to participate. When others mention you, give them a little thanks to show you’re paying attention, and when your contacts post good content, they’ll appreciate it if you post some comments.