Google+ is now open for businesses to create their profiles. Many businesses are questioning the advantages of Google+ and how it can used to engage with customers. Ja-Nae walks you through what Google+ means for your business.

1. Google+ for Business: Updated Presented by: Ja-Nae Duane Director of Social Media, Overdrive Interactive 38 Everett St. | Allston, Massachusetts 02134 | 617-254-5000 | www.OverdriveInteractive.com

2. Google+ Overview

3. What is Google+ and why should I care? Google+ is Google's Social Networking Initiative. Google+ is now available to individuals for personal accounts AND businesses.

4. Google+ Components "Huddles" allow for text chatting with a friend or group of friends via mobile or desktop. "Posts" are for posting status updates. "Circles" allow targeted grouping to sort and manage friends along with sharing information with specific circles. Sparks" for offering videos and articles users might like. "Photos" are shared libraries from those in your circles and those you post to them. "Hangouts" are for group video chatting with up to 10 people. You can also watch YouTube videos together. And if you "like" something?

5. Google Growth vs Facebook and Twitter It took Facebook and Twitter over two years to reach 20 million users.

6. Google+ Advantage

7. Google+ Advantage: Social Search Impact Tremendous Impact on Social Search Google+ is a search engine integrated with real time cloud based communication for sharing all types of media. Whether you are posting about your brand or a customer is posting about your brand, there are significant search engine optimization (SEO) implications. Those implications involve getting better search engine rankings and faster, real-time results in those rankings.

8. Google+ Advantage: Friends with Benefits Friends on G+ = Better Rankings Since 2009, Google’s Social Search results have had content from people you know to rank higher, when you’re logged into Google. Let’s say I’m logged into my Google Account, and I search on Google for [uncle zhou queens]. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this restaurant, and we’re visiting NYC soon, so we want to figure out all the best eats in town. I also happen to have Andrew Hyatt in one of my Google+ circles. Oh, and it turns out he just made a public post on his Google+ account about Uncle Zhou in Queens [...] Now not only do I get some great reviews on the web, I get a review from a friend about a restaurant with recommendations about what dishes to order. Source: Huffington Post An example:

9. Better Social Analytics The integration of social and search allows businesses to gain valuable insights into who their fans are, what content they’re consuming, and what they’re looking for.

10. Better Ads Which also allows for more targeted ads and better media spend.

11. Most you are familiar with Google for its search engine, Gmail and Google Docs among its large group of product offerings. For the last few years they have offered most of those products to businesses in a platform called Google Apps for Business. It is a cloud-based platform of Google products and partner solutions that allow you to connect, collaborate and manage your business. Integration with Google Apps for Business This is compelling because you would have one central place to manage your business, promote your products, communicate with customers and really have everything you need in one platform. For instance, what if you ran your web site on Google Sites. Using Google+ could make engagement with your customers incredibly simple and productive. Another example is using Google Cloud Connect along with the Google+ “Huddle” feature – instant webinar or video conversation to get your presentation ready.

12. Strategy for Your Business

13. Google +1 is an entirely different program that Google+ which allows for anyone, even if they are not in Google+ to indicate that they like a page directly to Google. Utilize the Google+ Button We know that “Liking” something (page, comment, wall post) on Facebook does impact the relevance in the Google algorithm in a positive way. Google has previously said that gaining +1s can help improve your ranking for those who have directly clicked the +1 button for your content, as well as for those they are connected to . In addition, it can show even those who aren’t connected or using +1 an overall count for your page, should it appear for them naturally. It has interesting SEO implications because you are indicating in the same fashion to Facebook’s “Like” button that a piece of content should have more relevance.

14. People Connect with People. People need to feel a personal connection to a product or service. Having someone as the face of the brand is important to be a part of the conversation with customers. Have employees out there as brand representatives. It fosters company leadership and enhances the customer experience. Create a “Face of the Brand”

15. There are default Circles for “Friends”, “Family” and “Following” but you can create any kind of circle. Circles on interests or likes, circles on specific interests or likes. This will allow you to segment out how you interact and what content you distribute to them. Why is this really powerful? Form Google “Circles” Circles are extremely compelling because you add people dynamically it doesn’t require a two-part permission.

16. Customize Circles By customizing your circles, you can segment the type of content you share depending on your audience.

17. Create an Editorial Calendar Create an editorial calendar that is visual heavy and segmented based on your circles.

18. Google+ posts, equivalent to the Facebook wall is the feature likely to be used the most. Links found here are valuable links for SEO and this is also likely to be the place where the most dynamic links are found. Add Value to the Conversation with Posts

19. Complete Your "About Me" Page Both the profile tagline and the “About Me” page are SEO friendly. Complete your profile with keyword friendly content and anchored hyperlinks.

20. When you initially click on the “Sparks” conversation you are presented with very generalized topics to help you find relevant information you might have an interest in. However, the search box at the top is where the magic happens. Type in a search term like your company name or terms you have used in some social media monitoring and viola – you have not only instant feeds of information you just created a personalized social media monitoring channel. Monitor Conversations with Google+ “Sparks”

23. Do the following with your brand: Google+ Readiness Checklist Get Personal Profile Page Completed Start Building Your Circles Post Content, +1 Content and Add Value Run some Hangouts and Huddles Add Sparks to Monitor Conversations Identify Brand Ambassadors Engage on a Daily Basis!

25. Questions and Answers Ja-Naé Duane Director of Social Media at @ ovrdrv http://www.OverdriveInteractive.com Twitter: @TheSunQueen