When Google+ first launched, it was limited to only personal accounts, restricting businesses from creating Google+ profiles. However, Google+ Pages are now available for personal and business use alike. The service is rather similar to Facebook in concept, being a social media site, but it is a bit more restrictive. For example, you cannot contact someone who has not already added you to their circle. That complicates advertising and marketing, but it does not lessen the importance of creating a Google+ Page. Once you get your Google+ up and running, here are some PR tips to make it worth your while.

  1. Create a Redirect or Shortened URL for Your Page
    Right now, Google+ Page web addresses are horribly ugly. With Facebook and Twitter you can create a reasonably shorted URL that people can use to visit your profile; on Google+ it is plus.google.com/ followed by a long string of random numbers and letters. There are a variety of free services that can shorten a URL for you, or you can simply create a redirect link on your domain. Whatever method you chose, be sure to make your Google+ Page URL something that people can easily remember.
  2. Link to Your Google+ Page
    While Google+ Pages limit you to communicating only with people who have added you to your circle, you have no such limitations on your website, Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to add links to your Google+ Page on all of your sites and social networking accounts to help people find your page and be aware that you have one. Google suggests that you put your Google+ badge on all of your sites, which takes visitors directly to your Google+ Page, allowing them to add you to their circle.
  3. Put Content On Your Page
    Driving visitors to your Google+ Page doesn’t accomplish much if you don’t have any information on the page, or if it simply is a link back to your website. Your effort should be to create a page that will cause people to want to add you to their circle. Once you are in someone’s circle, you have officially opened the lines of communication on Google+. This space is also an excellent advertising board, allowing you to put up information about new products and services or any sales or specials that are going on.
  4. Communicate with People Who Have Added You to Their Circle
    Once people begin to add you to their circle, start taking advantage of it. Those circle additions are hard won prizes, so be sure to use them to promote your company. This can involve updating people of additions to your Google+ Page, letting them know when new content is added to your website or even letting people know about contests you are offering. The advantage of having a contact list based on people who have added you to their circle is you know they have some sort of interest in you, or they would not have added you.
  5. Put Someone In Charge of Your Google+ Page
    If you have a social networking department, you’ve probably already done this, but be sure to assign a person or department (or digital PR Agency) to keeping up your Google+ Page. You’ll want to keep it updated and take advantage of marketing options when people add you to their circle, but you also want to be sure to respond to feedback sent to your Google+ account. People are frequently using social media sites to voice concerns or kudos to companies; be sure to read and respond to yours because ignoring social media communications is poor customer service.

Sam is an Internet marketer who is in charge of his company’s social media monitoring and he is always on the lookout for new tools to help him do his job more efficiently.

About Natalie Richmond

Account Executive at Prohibition PR.