Google Plus basics for business

Each social network is unique in its own way, and with the large number of social media platforms coming up, Google Plus is one of the leading competitors for other networks today.

Why use Google plus?

With over 350 million active users, Google plus is one of the fastest moving social media platforms today. It is the top competitor for Facebook in terms of users as well as engagement. Furthermore as it is linked with a provider of one of the largest search engines, having a Google+ presence can directly affect your SEO.

Who is on Google plus?

Google+ users are mostly;

§  Male (63%)

§  Primarily in the United States

§  A tech savvy audience

The infographic on Visual.ly shows a clear comparison between Google+ users and Facebook.

If the target audience for your business or profession centres around Technology this is a key platform to be on.

Your friends or groups of Google plus are called “circles” and “communities”. As you “follow” the profiles you select you are prompted to add them to the “circles” you have created. You can view some of the top brands in Sri Lanka on Google plus through the Social Bakers Site.

Steps for getting started with Google Plus

Most of the steps are easy to do, and usually you are prompted if you have not completed them. The steps are;

1.     Create a Google plus Account: This can be done with an existing Google Account or through creating a new one.

2.     Complete your profile: You will need to add your real name and picture though you can do them later as well. It your profile is complete you will be eligible to get a custom URL, but you may need to fulfil some requirements.

3.     Explore other Google plus profiles and pages: You can navigate to the “search” bar on top and enter your interests to start following relevant pages or profiles. For example if you want to find more Sri Lankans or Sri Lankan pages you can search for that term and see what comes up.

4.     Start creating your “circles” and adding relevant people or pages to them: Circles by default are what you select and can be friends,family or companies. Learn more here.

5.     Join communities: Communities are like groups and can be either on any topic or interest. For businesses often it is a great way to create a segment of their brand reaching out to their current customers or potential customers. For example an Education provider would have communities for each course or module to encourage interaction among students and moderators. Learn more here.

If you are a local business link your google plus page to your business: This refers to adding your address information and linking it to the Google Places page which can give you a benefit in being listed if someone selects your location in the search engine. For example if someone is looking for “Hospital in Dehiwala” and your address matches that, you are likely to be picked up instead of all the popular global sites.

What can you share?

You can share with your selected circles, with the public or with the communities you have joined. However you should avoid sharing the same piece of content of the same context in a community and with your circles.What you post in communities will show up on your Google+ company profile page.

Before sharing something, it is important to remind yourself whether it will add value to someone. Unlike a personal account, a business or professional account needs to communicate your brand value to any follower.

Some tips for posting on Google plus;

§  Add relevant hashtags

§  End your statements with a question to encourage responses

§  Engage with other users by responding or giving feedback where requested

Interested in learning more about social media profiles and their set ups? Get in touch with us by email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us on 0112585660

Created: May 16th, 2014