Google+ may not be as big as some of the other social media sites yet; but it is catching up fast. According to the last count, it had over a hundred million registered members. The reason it has become so popular in such a short time is that it combines the elements of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Skype in one neat package. This makes it a great platform for individuals as well as businesses. But what makes it a winner from the point of view of businesses is that it is loaded with features that are geared towards business.
Here are 5 ways that Google+ can grow your business.
1. Gives you a greater flexibility than other social media
Google+ is not just a social media site; it is a part of Google’s complete package. It is integrated with Gmail, Blogger, Google Drive, YouTube and other services. Anyone who has a Gmail account is automatically a member of Google+. This feature gives you the kind of flexibility that other social media platforms do not offer. For example, you can share your blog posts directly on Google+ and make replies to comments on your company page directly through Gmail.
2. You can create and join circles
Google+ allows you to create friend circles, invite other users to join your circle and join your friends’ circles. You can join as many circles as you like and everything you post will be visible to all the members of each circle. You can also add your brand to specific circles and share your Google+ page with their network. This feature makes it possible for you to interact directly with your target customers and develop better relationship with them. Thus, Google+ helps to grow your business
3. Hangout allows you to create direct links to your customers
Google+ has a great feature called Hangout, which allows you to create a direct link with your customers, business associates and friends. Using Hangout you can send photos, videos and emoji to your friends even if they are not online. You can also make free group video calls and participate in video conferences. Hangout takes your online conversation and information sharing to a completely new level and allows you to engage with your clients in a more meaningful way. It works on Apple and Android devices as well, so that you can connect to a wider circle of friends.
4. The +1 button gives your website greater visibility
Just like Facebook’s ‘Like’ button, Google has the +1 button which you can embed in your website and blog. Each time a visitor clicks the +1 button, it increases your website and blog’s visibility. Although Google won’t admit it, many users have claimed that the more +1s they received from visitors, the higher their website climbed in the SERP ranking. Companies that use Google’s +1 button are likely to receive over 3 times more traffic from Google+ than companies that do not, according to HubSpot.com.
5. Direct Connect allows you to bypass search engine results
Google has a feature called Direct Connect which allows you to perform searches by adding + in front of a search word. This feature makes it possible to bypass traditional search engine results and provides a great way to grow your business.
Do you use Google+ to grow your business?
Picture by Lorena Blazquez