If you have a business of any kind, you probably already know the benefits of social media. However, most businesses focus on Facebook and Twitter, and ignore the potential to be found in using other platforms. One such platform is Google+. What exactly is it? It’s a social media platform created by Google in 2011. In effect, it adds social networking to Google’s other services. According to the New York Times, more than 300 million people use Google+ every month. It’s not just another social network; it’s a valuable tool for marketers. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t ignore Google+ as a social media channel for your business.
Google.com
Google.com has become the most popular search engine in the past several years, and they have steadily added new features specifically to help businesses. Its search engine helps users find your business, AdWords allows businesses to place product-specific ads, and its SEO tools help businesses optimize their website to ensure they can rank higher in the search results. Many don’t see the value in Google+ because they don’t realize the powerful integration it can have with other Google features. This integration makes it worthwhile to explore Google+. Google+ pages have the additional benefit of showing up in search results, and the Google web crawler is likely to index your Google+ content more quickly than other content.
Reviews
If you have a Google+ page, customers are able to leave a review for your business. Of course, this feature can be a bit scary because of the potential for negative reviews. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives. As long as you commit to customer satisfaction, your reviews will reflect this over time, even if you do have a couple of negative reviews. No business can please everyone, and negative reviews are just part of the cost of doing business.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts is a video service that businesses can use to chat with their customers about any subject. This is particularly useful if you have a very specific niche that lends itself well to in-depth conversation. But it has a variety of uses beyond that. Businesses can use Google Hangouts to make announcements, host question and answer sessions, and set up webinars or workshops. All of these things ensure that your business will stand out among the crowd, and customers will see you as an expert in your field. Best of all, you have a way to directly reach your customers with no out-of-pocket expense.
Google+ Local
Sign up for Google+ Local if you run a local, physical business and you want to help people find you. Here you can create a basic local listing that includes your address, a map, hours of operation and any other pertinent information. Connect your Google+ page to your Google+ Local page for more powerful integration. Reviews posted to your Google+ page will show on your Local page. And when a customer searches specifically for your company, your business will show up prominently in the search results, and Google won’t show ads from your competitor.
Setting up a Google+ account is easy, so there’s no reason not to list your business. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And if you’re already using Google’s other tools, that’s even more incentive to embrace Google+ and give your business another outlet to reach customers.