Getting Started with Google+ for Online Marketing

In the past, Google’s attempts to stake claim in the social media world haven’t gone so well (see: Google Buzz and Google Wave).

But with Google+, the search engine behemoth seems to have finally found its footing and it’s definitely shaking up the social media space. In fact, Ann Handley, the CCO of Marketing Profs (and someone with more than 100,000 Twitter followers) admitted to checking Google+ before Twitter recently.

According to PC Mag’s Chloe Albanesius, Google’s new social network cleared the 25 million user plateau at the beginning of August and, as its invite-only trial phase eventually comes to an end, that number will likely increase exponentially.

No wonder marketers and venture capitalists alike have been quick to jump on board.

I’m still just getting started with Google+ myself and there’s plenty to learn — like how marketers can use Circles, Huddle, and Sparks. But you don’t need to wait for me to break them down for you. Nate Riggs wrote a great guest article for the Content Marketing Institute that discusses each of those features and provides a few ideas for using each one as a marketing tool.

Here are the two things I’m most excited about:

1. Google+ takes content sharing to another level

As a content marketer, I’m always looking for great ways to share OpenView’s content and other great stuff I’ve found on the Web. Google+ provides an excellent channel to do just that — but to more targeted audiences.

Marketers take note: TechCrunch announced that Google+ became one of its top 10 traffic referrers within a matter of days of its official launch. Similarly, I read a blog post recently that cited Google+ as the third best referrer to the site.

Don’t worry if you’re not seeing those kind of results from your Google+ account yet. I’m willing to bet that it’s only a matter of time before it begins to drive as much traffic to your content marketing efforts as Twitter and LinkedIn. You may just need to dedicate more time and effort to nurturing engagement on Google+.

2. It allows you to better connect with influencers

One of the biggest shortcomings of Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn from a content marketing perspective is the inability to filter content to specific people or groups. When you share content on those platforms, all of your connections see it.

Google+ has changed that with its Circles feature. Now, by organizing your connections into groups, you can share relevant content and exciting news with a specific influencer or group of influencers. That, of course, will cut down on some of the clutter and allow you to share only the content that they’ll be interested in and you want them to read.

Learning more about Google+

 

There are already plenty of great resources and Google+ guides out there. Media Bistro’s Celeste Altus provides one of the best, offering eight tips for marketers that are just getting started.

Here are a few of her suggestions:

• Be prepared: Google announced recently that it’s prepared to open up the network to businesses sooner than expected, so make sure you have your brand’s profile ready and put up as soon as it’s permitted.
• Keep an open mind. Avoid the temptation to treat Google+ like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. It can be uniquely valuable if you’re open to exploring its potential, so be creative.
• Become an editor. Unlike Facebook, Google+ allows you to edit your status updates after they’ve been posted. Take advantage of that capability if a post needs updating or tweaking.
• Use Google+ adoption to prove your credibility. By being an early adopter, you have the unique opportunity to be a much louder voice in a less crowded space. That will give you a better chance to validate your brand and share your content.

 

If you’re a Google+ newbie, I recommend checking out Pam Dyer’s guide to Google+. It includes 25 great articles, tips, infographics, and reviews to help you get started. I also highly suggest reading Mashable’s 31 Essential Google+ Resources guide. It includes pros, cons, keyword shortcut cheat sheets, and instructions for importing contacts.

If you’re overwhelmed by the process of building out your connections and Circles, FindPeopleonPlus provides a great directory of everyone that’s singed up, allowing you to quickly search for anyone on Google+.

So, what are you waiting for? Accept your invite, get on Google+, and connect with me!

Amanda Maksymiw is a mar­ket­ing asso­ciate at Open­View Labs. She is respon­si­ble for con­tent cre­ation and strat­egy for Open­View and its port­fo­lio com­pa­nies. You can fol­low her on Twit­ter @AmandaMaks.