Google recently announced the beta release of its new social media network, Google+, to a wave of speculation and curiosity. In addition to those seeking to link with friends and family in a new way, there undoubtedly will be those seeking to place a new skill in their social media marketing toolkits. It should be mentioned that businesses aren’t allowed to have profiles yet and that there is no timeline for when it will be opened to them (or the general public, for that matter). I managed to score an invite the night it was announced (not to brag or anything…) and have come up with a few examples of how Google+ might alter the social media landscape from a marketing perspective (at least in its current incarnation – the site is still in beta testing and is likely to continue to evolve).
Up first? Google+’s potential effect on your online rankings.
SEO: Will Google consider your Google+ profile in its SEO equation? Almost certainly – Google’s SEO rankings already include content posted across various social media channels (although using the same content across all channels only counts once). Early word is that Google will weigh a Google+ profile fairly and evenly against profiles on social media rivals Facebook and Twitter, but Google would be within its rights to rank it higher in its own proprietary equation (especially since it doesn’t have to tell anyone what that formula is).
Google Places: Similar to SEO, a robust Google+ profile with your address, phone number, fax number and multiple email addresses might raise your Google Places rank above other similarly qualified entries without that information. Appearing higher in these rankings would be a tremendous boon to companies that are being searched for under terms such as “Chicago construction.” Google+ could easily add a Places feature with tags to function as a sort of secondary SEO content tool.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s entry – Google+ as a transmission tool.
