In June, Google launched a sweet new social network known as Google+. Although the search engine giant has attempted social networking in the past (Buzz and Wave) ‘Plus’ really seems to hit the mark.
Why is this new social haven so dang special you may ask? For starters, it’s not Facebook and it’s not Twitter. Google+ happens to be both, but without the poor privacy options of Facebook or organizational issues of Twitter. It allows its users to upload as much or as little information about themselves as they like, creating a great environment for all the shy folks out there.
Google+ also introduces “Circles” which is like a friend-list but with a lot more customization through selective friend filtering, allowing the user to selectively share information. The icing on this networking cake is the introduction of the “+1 button” feature which allows users to “+1” sites they like, instantly sharing the link with all their friends, and possibly affecting the page’s Google ranking.
Within the first couple of weeks of its launch, Google+ announced it had reached over 10 million users. In July, Ancestry.com’s Paul Allen estimated the site would surpass 20 million by early August. While Facebook is by no-means dying, with over 750 million current user accounts, Google+ shows very promising early growth. So can you use Google+ to your brand’ advantage? Quite simply, right now, you don’t … seeing as Google currently does not allow business accounts.
However, Google has said it is planning to roll out consumer related profiles before year-end, allowing folks like us, at Blade, to create and manage brand profiles without using workarounds. If this has piqued your interest check out the video below, Google’s Christian Oestlien reveals how business profiles will boast the power of Analytics and AdWords. (Yes, we have Google Adwords Certified Professional services at Blade.)
This will, presumably, make Google+ a key social network for your brand. So, if you’ve already got a ‘Tweet’ or ‘Like’ button on your site, think about adding a little ‘+1’ button, your customers just might thank you for it.
Check out more info here:
https://plus.google.com/105923173045049725307/posts/E3mVj6nskaX