Tag Archives: google

Google+ for Business – Book Review

A few weeks ago, I was on Google+, and came across an update referencing Chris Brogan’s “Google+ for Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything“. Within seconds, I was checking out from BN.com, thankful for my membership which offers expedited shipping (yes, I still like real, printed books!).

Do we really need another social network?
Simply put, Google+ will be a game changer. For starters, it’s owned by Google, and there are already more than 90 million users. Additionally, your +1 links may rank higher, and sites on Google+ get indexed quicker.

The intuitive circles for organizing your following, hangouts to formally or informally chat with others, and the ability to create a page for your business make Google+ a sure winner.

The book is broken down into 14 chapters, including:

The Opportunity of Google+
A Day in the Life
First Moves with Google+
Circles
Posting
Growing an Audience
Sharing

And more. My favorite chapter was “A Day in the Life”, where he cleverly detailed daily suggestions for seven different types of occupations. This chapter also features interviews, including Problogger Darren Rowse and Scott Monty from Ford Motor Co.

I also liked Chris’ explanation of how he set up his circles. It wasn’t a how to, as much as it was a here’s how I did it, and why.

Clearly, the opportunity on Google+ is authorship, focusing on the person, rather than the company. The book is easy to read, and makes the case why you and your business must get on Google+ sooner, rather then later.

How to add a Google+ badge to your website

Anyone with a Google+ profile can now include one of two types of badges linking to their account. Follow these simple steps to get yours.

First, visit your Google+ page, and copy your account number (it’s the long string of numbers at the end of the URL). To see your account number, just click on your profile picture. Doing this will populate the numeric values associated with your Google+ account.

Open a new tab or window, and visit the Google Developers site to build your profile badge.

Once you pop in your account number, you’ll have two choices: a simple icon linking to your Google+ profile, or a more interactive badge, which also includes your name and the ability for a user to “Add to circles” right from your website.

Then, simply grab the two pieces of code (one piece shows authorship and the second displays the badge or icon) and add to your website or blog.

Once you’ve done this, verify your markup by putting in your URL on Google’s Rich Snippets Testing Tool. Don’t forget to circle me up on Google+!

How Your Business Should Be Preparing for Google+

What does Google+ mean for your business?

Google+ has been gaining steam in the social media world since the beginning of its test prelaunch in early July. Gaining upwards of 1.7 Million Google+ accounts in its first week, and rising to an estimated 4.5 Million accounts the following week. All before the social media site has even officially gone public! Holding accounts for some well known names such as Seth Goden, Myspace’s Tom Anderson, and even the social media bad boy himself, Mark Zuckerberg.

Google+ is currently only offering accounts for people. Business profile pages are still in the works. But while the numbers continue to rise, and people start to “check out this new Google social site everybody is trying to be invited to,” businesses should be busy licking their lips at the SEO possibilities.

Here are a few reasons why your business should be preparing for Google+ business pages.

Combining Google+ Pages and Search Engine Rankings

It is quite possible Google will integrate the amount of feedback a +1 button on Google+ posts receives into their search rankings algorithm. Helping Google sort out the relevant and quality content from the irrelevant.

What does this mean for your business?

This means there will no longer be a separation between a business’s social media presence and its search engine rankings. The two will then be one in the same. Providing quality and engaging content will, in real time, affect a company’s search engine presence. Helping give hope for smaller businesses everywhere!

Keeping Your Customers Organized

Google+ offers a more aesthetically appealing way to keep your friends organized with “Circles.” Easily allowing people to click and drag their friends into different categories such as: Closest Friends, Family, Work Buddies, etc. Allowing certain posts to be only seen by circles predetermined by the user.

Google+ business pages can categorize their fans into the different stages of the customer cycle. For example: Top Customers, Need More Information, Recently Purchased, etc. The ability to categorize your fans and then post content to that specific circle will be a huge advantage.

Google Offers and Maps

With Google’s answer to the growing success of Groupon, Google Offers would be a realistic integration into the Google+ business page. Supplying a very user friendly daily deals service. To compliment this feature would most likely be the feature of Google Maps. Displaying directions to your business, or the closest business franchise locations.

What does this mean for your company?

It would be wise to incorporate a Google+ promotion that leads to a Google Offer for your business. Allowing you to again keep what would normally be separate entities, one and the same. Also, Google Offers would then be linked to a convenient Google Map of all the closest business locations where the offer can be redeemed. Take all extra steps out of the equation.

These are my thoughts into the wonderful minds of Google and their future development of Google+. If you have any thoughts on your own of how you see Google+ growing, please leave them in the comment sections below!