A short time ago, we talked about, or rather wrote about, the importance of using Google+ to optimize your company’s listings on search engines. Today, I will provide more details on the creation and use of a Google+page.
Creating the page
1. The process to follow to create your Google+ page is quite simple. Click here, and then click on the “Get your page”button on the top right.
Google+ pages are easy to manage, like Facebook pages for businesses.
2. Next, select the category that corresponds to your company and specify your line of business, using the drop-down menu to determine the appropriate category. It is important to select the category that most closely resembles your business because this will help Google propose your content during user searches.
3. Then, you will be asked to provide information, such as your page’s name and the link to your website.
There, it’s done—your page has been created!
4. All that remains to be done is to add a description of your business to provide more information for users. Your contact information will enable users to reach your company. Consider including links to your website in your company’s description (such as links to your products). They will give you backlinks and raise your profile.
You’ll notice that the cover photo takes up most of the page. Use it. Your graphic designers will be delighted with the opportunity to create a great image to represent your business.
Using the page
Now that your company’s page has been created, it’s time to use it! Note that, just like on business pages on Facebook, you can invite your colleagues to manage the Google+ page with you to enable them to post content on the company’s behalf.
Posting:
By clicking on “Post” you can post content. Note that there are two types of posts: public and private. Public posts can be seen by anyone and found in search results on Google, whereas private posts can only be seen by the people/groups with whom they are shared.
Don’t forget to include images in your postings; they will inevitably attract attention.
You can add “textures” to your posts to attract more attention, by including words in bold, italics, or strike through,for example. Here’s how:
*Bold*: Add * (asterisks) before and after the word to be put in bold.
_Italics_: Add _ (underscores) before and after the word to be put in italics.
-Strike through_: Add a – (hyphen) before the word and an _ (underscore) after the word to strike through it.
Communities:
To get your name noticed on Google+, you must reach communities and add users to your circles. All you have to do is enter topics of interest in the search bar (on the top left) and then Google will suggest pages to like or communities to join. Click on a community that interests you and then join it by clicking on the red button on the right of the page.
To view your communities, use the drop-down menu and click on “Communities,” then you’ll see a list of the communities to which you belong.
Communities bring users together into a group, around a common interest, where sharing information is of major importance. The spirit of cooperation is what especially encourages users to come together. So don’t hesitate to share your content and ask for comments to stimulate discussion. You can share directly in communities by clicking on “Post” and selecting the group that interests you in the “to” space.
Sharing with communities will definitely help enhance your visibility on Google+ and increase the number of visits to your website. Follow the progression of visits via Google+ through Google Analytics and you’ll be surprised by the many clicks, starting in the first weeks.
Hashtag:
The hashtag has spread to most social networks and Google+ is no exception. Including hashtags in your posts will enable users to find you easily, through content on a topic that interests them, or to find your company. Obviously, you shouldn’t use too many, as users may regard this negatively.
Engagement:
Engagement is reflected in the number of +1s, shares, and comments that you get on a post. To obtain more, try to connect with influencers from your milieu and share posts that they would be apt to share or like.
Statistics:
On the dashboard, you’ll find the “Statistics” section, where the interactions you have had with your network can be analyzed. There you can see the number of actions per posting and thus determine what works best for your network.
To conclude, Google+ is clearly a network not to be overlooked for a number of reasons, including your positioning in search results, and also to attract traffic to your website.
Latest posts by Justine Voyer
- The ABCs of Google+ - 17 June 2014
- 9 Tools Every Inbound Marketer Should Be Using - 9 April 2014
- Client – Affairesdegars - 15 October 2013
