Before you can appreciate what Google+ can do for your business, you have to know how it works. Getting to know the product better will lead you to several ideas on how you can tap those features to work for your business.
What is Google+?
It is Google’s social media site, much like Facebook where you can share contents – text, photo or video, to a network of contacts – friends, acquaintances, business, work, special groups, etc. The network is huge. Shared contents are rated. Contacts can be added or blocked and you can make connections to other social media sites easily.
Put all these in a business sense, you will have Google+. You can share your business information (through campaign ads, email marketing, add photos or videos) to a vast network of contacts. Some of these contacts (which are not in your FB groups) may like your ads and will connect with you for further communication. You can also maintain the contacts which are relevant to your business and set aside or freeze those of no value to your business.
It’s a different Facebook from Google
There are features in Google+ which are lessons learned from Facebook like that which concerns privacy issues. Google+ has a better privacy management system which takes care of creating groups for contacts. This allows the users to select the contact according to such groups (business, friends, family, etc.).
Brands and companies have ventured into using Google+ in order to strengthen their relationships and links with consumers which were not quite achieved in other social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Benefits for Business
Many known brands that have migrated to Google+ agree in saying that the Google+ community responds to tailored activities the most. Some businesses venture on strategies to build an engaged community that can both share specific interests through the social media platform of Google+.
Some attributed their growth to the integrated marketing efforts and increased interest largely due to the community’s being update on the company’s announcements , news and even rumors. Google+ audience is greatly diverse. This will offer businesses a wider range of customers to target based on their needs.
Getting Started with Google+ via Google+ Pages
In order to get into Google+, one needs to create a Google+ Page where you can post news and updates about your business or your campaigns, engage in dialogues and conversations with your customers, send customized messages to specific groups of contacts and see the +1’s you have across the world wide web.
Google+ Hangouts
This feature of Google+ Pages allows users to have high-quality video chats with nine customers on a single click. This is good for getting feedback, resolve any problems or concerns, or simply get to know your customers better.
Google+ Circles
You can group your contacts or followers of your Google+ Page into smaller audiences. This will allow you to send specific messages to specific people. A business application of this feature is creating a group of loyal customers where you can send messages (specific to their group only) about discount entitlements. Not everyone in the contacts will receive the messages but only to the target contact groups.
+1 Button
Another feature is +1 button which can be likened to a thumbs up icon for ‘Like’ in FB. Affixing this +1 button is your way of saying that you approve (or like) a post of a contact (text, photo or video posts) and validates it as a credible source of information. As mentioned, very much like Facebook’s “Like” feature.
This feature allows for great contents to be shared with many users. Your customers are effectively endorsing your business when they click this +1 button on Google search. They can recommend your actual brand directly to their friends.
With all of these promising benefits, the best time to drive your business forward is now – with Google+.
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