You already know that we think Google+ is pretty rad, but can it really be a good business tool? It certainly can and we’ve got the infographics to prove it! Sit back, relax and enjoy the business lessons from these great Google+ infographics.
1. Controlling Your Content & Privacy
This infographic on 20 reasons to switch to Google+ has lots of info on why Google+ works for business, including a wonderful mobile app, the ability to connect with customers via hangouts and privacy controls that leave Facebook in the dust. (Facebook is still playing catch-up, but keeps making mistakes like the changed email fiasco.)
But one of the best things Google+ has going for it compared with other social networks is Data Liberation – the ability to take your data out any time you want.
Unlike other major social media networks, Google sees your data as yours and makes it easy for you to take it out straight away. For a business, that level of data control is essential and Google+ is the only place that makes it simple.
The lesson
Google seem to have learned from all of Facebook’s faux pas, so make sure you remain in control of the data you share online. Check out the privacy settings on each of the social sites you use and see what information you have made public. This guide on social networking and your privacy will help you know what to look for (warning, it reads like a legal doc, but if you’re concerned about privacy it’s a good resource to have).
2. Sharing on Google+ Improves Your Search Rankings
One thing that Google+ has going for it (and it’s making the most of it, too) is total integration with its other services. And the biggie here is search. This infographic shows the results of a recent test on the effects of using the major social networks, to share websites to see if there was any rise in search traffic. While most social sites resulted in some increase, Google+ came out on top with a 14.6 average rise in organic search position across the test sites used in this experiment.
There’s some debate about whether using the +1 button and Google+ in general has an impact on search positioning – but you’ve got to imagine it will. If you disagree, jump in the comments.
The lesson
Mashable put together a guide to setting up a brand page. You should jump on this so you can remain competitive in organic search (as Google is constantly making changes to their algorithms right now and being strong on their platform is a safe bet.
3. It’s Great for Local Businesses
Goodbye, Yellow Pages; hello Google+ Local Pages. As a business person you know the value of building a customer base in your local area, but customers need to be able to find you easily. Google+ Local (the replacement for Google Places) is one of the best ways to do this. This infographic provides useful tips on building your Google+ Local Pages listing. And since you’re in control, you can tell the story of your business your way.
The lesson
Lisa Barone’s has some excellent tips for setting up your page for a local business. If you fall into this category then start leveraging it, stat.
4. The Tech Industry is Big on Google+
There’s one business sector in particular that can’t afford to ignore Google+.Google+ is a favorite with tech industry people and engineering types. This is reflected in the top brands on the platform: Android, Chrome (perhaps no surprise that this list includes top Google services) and Mashable. That audience favors photos, videos and long posts compared with a Facebook audience that likes shorter status updates.
And of course, Google+ offers an unprecedented opportunity to get face to face with your customers via Hangouts.
The lesson
For a successful business presence on Google+, switch gears from the shorter updates you post on other networks and use longer updates with photos and videos instead. You’ll get more interaction that way. Hubspot has a free guide on using Google+ in your business to help you make the most of this strategy.
5. Add The +1 Button, Now
If you haven’t added the +1 button to your site yet, then it’s definitely time to do it now. This button is not just about social search but about users highlighting whatever they have found useful and relevant across the web and sharing it with their friends. +1s show up on Google+ profiles and pages and send a signal both to site visitors and to Google about the importance of particular content. There are more and more places you can see and use this button, which according to this infographic is served about 5 billion times a day.
The lesson
Add the +1 button to your blog posts to increase their presence in search rankings. Google’s +1 buttons are available on the developer site and you can easily customize size and other parameters. Consider using a heatmap of your site to see where customers look most – then place your +1 button in a prime location. Note: Don’t do this at the expense of a more important CTA, keep it with your other social buttons but find a good place for them that’s not too distracting.
6. Connect With Your Audience Using Google+ Business Pages
Who’s your target audience? If you’re looking to connect with men from the US, India and the UK, then Google+ could be a core interaction zone for your business (check the infographic). There are a lot of users in the $30,000+ annual income bracket, too.The launch of Google+ pages has increased interaction on the site, making another good reason for you to have a business page.
Who’s lovin’ it?
This post says that Google+ is the social media site with the most satisfied users.
The lesson
Check your analytics to see where your customers are coming from and if they happen to be high income web users in the US, India and the UK, then a Google+ business page is a must. If you have a different demographic, then perhaps you’ll want to focus on a different social network. Pinterest for example has a 92% female demographic, which can make it an invaluable place to be active if that meets your customers’ needs.
7. Is Google+ Enough?
Our final infographic brings one caveat. Even though we think Google+ rocks, don’t rely on it exclusively, because it still has some way to go before catching up with the audience of social networking powerhouse Facebook. For every minute users spend on Google+, they spend more than 1,000 on Facebook, making the latter a key site for business interaction. At the same time don’t count Google+ out of the game as integration means it will be harder and harder to manage without it.
The lesson
You need to be where your customers and audience are, whether that’s Google+, Facebook or Twitter. One way to find out is to monitor your network with one of these 88 social media mapping and monitoring tools.
Have you added Google+ to your social media arsenal yet? If you’re still not convinced, check out the tweetable facts below to help you decide.
Tweetable Facts
3 business advantages of Google+: Less bloat, more privacy and your data is yours
» Tweet This «
100 followers & 1 month of activity on Google+ improved Google SERP position by 14 spots » Tweet This «
Did you know your Google+ listing includes a customer review section? Encourage your customers » Tweet This «
The most popular activity on Google+ is posting & viewing content vs. “Liking” on Facebook » Tweet This «
5 billion and growing: number of times the Google +1 button is used each day worldwide [Stats] » Tweet This «
Targeting high income web users in the US, India & UK? 80% of Google+ Users make more than $30k per year » Tweet This «
3.3 minutes >> Average time spent on Google+ by users monthly vs. 450 minutes on Facebook » Tweet This «
