Google+ fantastic social media channels and where to find them

Helen Cox MarketingWhen it comes to picking a social media platform for your business, then chances are that Google+ is going to be one of the last ones that comes to mind. However, this is a real shame. Google+ has a whole host of great benefits, particularly for business users.

One of the best bits is that it is a relatively easy thing to set up and use. The initial steps are simply setting yourself up with a Google+ account. To do this, you are going to need a Gmail account. This could be a personal one that you link to your business page. If you need a new one that is for business use alone, or don’t have one at all, then these only take around 5 minutes to set up.

Choose a type of page of Google+ Page

Once you have this in the bag, then it is time to think about your Google+ business page. You have the option to choose from a variety of different type of page. Service Area, Brand or Storefront. If you are a local business then you may want to opt for a Storefront or Service Area. If your business is not attached to a particular area, then you can opt for brand which is what I have.

Google will guide you through the rest of this initial set up. This will depend on the type of page that you opt for. Thankfully this part of the process is relatively easy, and there are helpful hints along the way.

Pick your category and verify your business

The next decision that you have is important as it will have an impact on the results that your page shows in, so really have a think in terms of where your business would sit. Pick the best fit at this stage, and then you can add in others later on.

The last part of setting up your page is to verify who you are. Google will do this either by phone call, text or going old school with a PIN on a postcard sent to your registered address. I had the old school option and had some information sent in the post with a code to enter in so it can verify me.

Finalise your Google+ details

Once your page is verified and all set up then the time has come to manage the page and edit your details. You will want to make sure that the info on there is completely up to date as this is where people will head to find out more about you.

You can also make the page that little bit more interesting by adding photos and media, as well as make regular posts regarding what you are doing. You can also make sure that any of your followers know how to contact you if they have an enquiry.

Google+ can be an incredibly useful platform for your business. Not only because it gives you another avenue of promotion, but also because it is linked to Google and this can help with your Google Rankings. You just need to make sure that you have set up the page right and that it is ready to grab some attention from your target audience.

If I am honest I use Google+ as a backlinking strategy so whenever I write a blog (like this one). I’ll post it on my Google+ newsfeed and in the groups there too. I don’t spend a lot of time trying to increase my followers I just use it as another avenue to post too. There is only so much we can do!

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