Why It is Essential for Your Small Business to Get on Google+ Now

Google claims it already has 170 million people active on its social network, Google+.  There may be 200 million or more already signed up for the service, which began in the summer of 2011.  Google+ is by far the fastest growing social network, and Google’s aim is to take down Facebook.

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that Google+ is one of the leading social networks for now, and will at least remain a viable competitor in the coming years.  At first, many people signed up but were inactive, as they weren’t sure what the point of Google+ would be, given the fact there were already several other major social networks in place.  But, now that’s changing.

Why Now Is a Good Time to Consider Getting a Presence on Google+

• +1’s are a sign of social proof – “Social proof,” the idea that because other people do or like something it’s worthy for you to do it or like it too, is not a new marketing concept.  Online, social proof is verified in many ways, one of which is by the number of +1s (followers) a website has.  Higher numbers make your business look more credible.
• Draw attention to your search results – The “rel=publisher” and “rel=author” tags allow you to display your picture next to your search results.  Doesn’t sound like a big change does it?  But, the personalization and professionalism these images convey give you much, much more credibility in the eyes of people searching online.  Very often, you’ll be the only one, or 1 of 2, search results with a picture next to the result – guess whose result sticks out more than the others?
• +1s help SEO – They don’t just help with social proof.  The more +1s you have, the more credible you are in the eyes of Google too.  No one’s proven it yet, but if Google is looking to dominate other social media outlets like Facebook, wouldn’t it make sense to give +1s a little more weight than the number of Facebook likes your company has?  Remember, Google is a large corporation that needs to make a profit.
• Google+ Communities – Communities allow you to connect with other business leaders, engage in relevant discussions, learn from other experts and about other subjects, and find more content and sources for inspiration.  In other words, you get great quality for the time you invest. Reap the Benefits

As you can see, there are a number of benefits to joining Google+.  It’s not for everyone, but it is quite valuable when you use it wisely.  Consider adding it to your networking/marketing strategy, and see what results you receive.