A couple of years ago, Google+ was the social platform that every brand and business was trying to get on. Building circles and social profiles on the platform was an essential aspect of marketing strategy, and every effort was geared towards making the most out of the platform.
That was until Facebook and Twitter made additions to their platforms which led to massive migrations. The monstrous numbers of users on Facebook and Twitter have made them the social platforms of preference and most if not all brands are scampering to optimize their marketing strategies for these platforms.
The big question since the advent of Facebook and Twitter has remained to be if it is worth the effort to incorporate Google+ in your marketing strategy and every indication shows that you should be just as vigorous on Google+ as you are on Facebook and Twitter marketing. Here’s why;
Google+ in Google
No matter how you look at it, Google+ is still a large part of Google, and your presence on the platform will significantly influence your rankings on Google. Your Google+ posts are integrated into search results. For instance, when logged in to Google, you can see your Google+ profile on the far right, and a the same time, you can also view posts from people you follow. Simply put, even with what Google+ lacks, your presence and activity on the social media platform will profoundly influence your SERPs on Google.
Google Collections Feature
One of the recent changes to Google+ allows you to create a page within a page and customize it with a header image and name. You can use this page to discuss and post about specific topics under one roof. For a business, this is a great way to organize your content and ensure that your audience only accesses what they need without going through all the posts.
The private collection feature allows you to share posts in that collection which is easier to access, and you can create multiple private collections. For content marketing strategy, this can be a helpful feature to have.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts is still essential to Google+ and will also be important for your brand. The application allows you to record and host webinars and share them on your YouTube channel. The Google Hangouts feature is going to be especially critical if webinars are a part of your content strategy.
You can invite guests and influencers for guest appearances that can help you reach new audiences and cement your authority in the industry. You can then repurpose the content to maximize effectiveness and improve your marketing strategy.
Website Traffic
One of the most significant strengths of Google+ is that the posts show up in search results. This is a great way to drive and build organic traffic to your website. If you include links in your posts, Google+ will redirect the traffic to your website. This makes Google+ an essential social network tool and, more importantly, a great tool to drive and boost your organic authority.
Google Local Reviews
Another helpful feature of Google+ is the Google+ local pages. It is a crucial tool for local businesses because the pages are integrated into Google’s search listings, mobile apps, and maps. This dramatically improves traffic to your site and visibility and helps in conversions.
If you thought it was time to ditch Google +, you might want to rethink your marketing strategy. It is still a vital social media and marketing tool with many features that are invaluable to any business.