What Is Google+
Google+ can be described as simple as a social network like Facebook but it does quite a bit more. It allows users to create communities with similar users, hangouts (online conferences / phone calls), private or public posts or shares and more. Perhaps most significantly, Google+ provides authorship or authority to content on the web. What I mean is this, you can connect your blog post to your Google+ account, making you the author of your content across the web. Here is an example of how that content might look on the web when a person has verified his/her authorship on Google+.

As you can see from the above snapshots, I typed in
“best mobile crm” in a Google search. On the first page, I see a number of search results including this blog I wrote a year ago with a thumbnail of myself on it. It shows my name and how many people are in my
“circles” (referencing Google+). This is happening because I registered that I was an author on my business blog in my Google+ account. You must have a personal Google+ account to do this. Follow these instructions to make yourself an author of your content:
Google Authorship.
Should You Be Using Google+
Google has been pushing Google+ hard for almost
3 years now. It boasts over
300,
000 users and growing. It continues to be integrated in the local search results of sites like YouTube and Google Maps. So
yes I think it is a good idea to sign up for a Google+ account and begin to hangout a bit on this platform. You may not find a lot of engagement just yet as a contractor on Google+, but that should not stop you from being there. I would recommend you start slow but strive to be consistent. It is a great way to help brand your company. Start by creating circles (similar to Facebook friends) such as: Local Businesses, Nationwide Professionals, Vendors, Customers, Prospects. Spend time not only posting some of your blogs and photos of your work but engaging and interacting with local businesses. Help share their content! Consider starting a
“Hangout” (video conference) and educate your audience about helpful tips and tricks in your industry. If you need help learning more about Google+ or just want to see best practices, make sure you follow these guys:
Recently, the head of Google+ left the organization. This has caused quite a stir of news feeds around the social networks. A number of people are saying Google+ will die out soon. Based on what I have seen so far and read, I highly doubt Google+ will be shutting down. There might be some changes to how it all works, but I would say there is nothing to worry about on your end. Just make sure you have a business page (formerly Google Places) and that you have a plan in place to actively use this platform. A few good links to further look into Google+
- Google+ Website
- Google+ SEO Blog Article (a long one but a good one)