Even if only 35% of the 1.15 billion registered users on Google Plus are active, the 359 million who uses the platform on a daily basis can be converted into valuable customers. Considering that Twitter has approximately 200 million active users, we can safely say that Google plus is no longer a second string social media site. As a matter of fact, it offers several interesting features that will make networking easy, effective and enjoyable. In addition to this, it is not only the size of Google+ that matters.
Being part of it means absolute integration with the company’s main products, including Hangouts, Authorship and Google Docs. For this reason we have put together an extensive step-by-step guide that will help you correctly setup Google for your Ecommerce website. Simply creating a Google Plus account is not enough, and it will not render results. Online companies have to go beyond simply posting updates, and utilize all the tools in the Google arsenal.
1. How to Setup Your Google Plus Page
a. The first thing you need to do is create your page. It is recommended to go for the Google+ for business option. To do this you have to log-in with your Google+ account, or create a new one.
b. Select one of the three categories, type in a page name, website and page type. Google Plus has a nifty Tour that will help you build your presence on the platform, engage your audience and understand the basics about how it works.
c. Make sure you create a personalized page that fans will recognize. Add a cover photo, a profile picture, write a little bit about your services, create a catchy tag-line and start sharing interesting news. The Business Google+ account is also integrated with Google Analytics, so you can quickly overview traffic, engagement level, visibility and demographics reports.
d. Once you are done with the basic details (which should not be skipped or rushed in any way) you can let your followers know about your new company page. We would like to stress the importance of the tag-line. It is the first thing that potential customers see before they visit your Google+ account, so it should not be vague.
e. Getting Verified: If your company is already popular, you might have the unpleasant experience of fake profiles. To prevent this you should definitely verify your Google+ name (the checkmark next to your name means that your company page is verified). It will show visitors that this is your official page.
In order to verify your page you must go to the Profile Section -> Links. Add the URL and name of your company’s website, click done editing go to link your Google+ page to your site tab. Support Google says that you may request a verification code from them, in order to verify your business. Once you receive the code, enter it online and your G+ page will be verified.
2. How to Inspire & Engage on Google Plus
Now that you have everything set-up it is time to start posting. Google + has incredible potential because it is one of the most visual-content-friendly platforms out there. For example, GIFs work on this network (as opposed to Facebook and Pinterest where you have to open them separately). Also, everything you post is more likely to be indexed on Google. This doesn’t mean that your customers don’t need a good reason to visit your Google+ page.
The best way to attract fans and potential clients is by posting engaging, inspiring and relevant content regularly. Google+ is all about community building, so instead of sharing obnoxious adds or self-centred promos you should show behind-the-scenes videos or personal stories of your company. Here are a few tricks that will help you attract more followers on Google+:
o Get Creative with Subjects: Let’s say you are the owner of medical equipment. In order to engage your audience you should keep promotions to just 20% of your posts, and the other 80% of posts should be interesting news, content you have written, or carefully curated lists. Your clients will probably consist of medics and intellectuals, so sharing interesting news, like the one that can be found at “I Fucking Love Science” will definitely help you. The key is to add value to the community and provide with insights from your industry. Engagement is all about being there for your followers, answering their questions and understanding what they need.
o Use Hash-tags: They are incredibly useful, especially in the early stages of Google+ networking because they will make your posts easier to find by interested users.
o Mix up the Format: As we already mentioned, the best thing about Google+ is the fact that you can use all sorts of content to generate a multi-sensory experience. Videos, GIFs, articles, info-graphics, content visualizations and blog-posts can all be presented on Google+. You should keep in mind, however, that this is your company’s profile, not a personal one so images should be relevant to it. Instead of only using product images you should also share behind-the-scenes or employee photos (this will help with business branding).
o Updating your Status: There is one thing you should know about Google plus’s statuses: Unlike the ones on Facebook, they have a chance of appearing on search results. This means that you should always consider keywords that are relevant to your content & business. You should also tag other people in your statuses to give thanks, mentions or references. Tagged people are notified, and they might engage with you in the future (this is exactly what networking means).
o Promote Events & Celebrate Milestones: Even if your company isn’t sending people to space it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have reasons to celebrate. Create milestones for your business, and celebrate them with give-aways or special events. When Google+ hit 10 million downloads for their smart-phone up they made a huge give-away which resulted in thousands of shares and +1s. Nobody can resist a freebie, and hosting contests/events from time to time will definitely propel you in the online medium (Google+ does not allow Contests to be hosted in the platform itself).
o Share Content Strategically: One of the best features that Google+ has to offer is the Circles one. It will enable you to separate your followers into different categories like friends, buyers, frequent buyers etc. By posting content to different circles you will be able to cater special content that will go to the right places. (People -> Your Circles).
3. How to Use Hangouts for Your Business
Google Hangouts is the ultimate way of engaging with your audience. It doesn’t get any personal than having a face-to-face video conferencing experience with your most loyal clients, or industry experts. The Google+ hangouts feature has been updated. At the moment it uses two types of hangouts: regular & with extras. You can create an instant video conference with nine people (invitation only or open to the public) and connect several cameras to your hangout video.
Documents, screens and YouTube videos can also be shared via Hangouts. The best use for Hangouts is sharing knowledge from your field, with leading experts. Hangouts can also be used for Q&A sessions, presenting products, or having people meet the CEO, sharing product demos and tutorials. They can be broadcasted via YouTube for everyone to see.
4. How to Claim G+ Authorship
The Google Authorship Mark-up is one of the most important things that you will ever have to add to your account. We will assume that you have a company blog (if you don’t, make sure you make one fast), where you share important information, relevant to your industry. The Google Authorship mark-up will create a visual tie between your content and you. Here are a few extra reasons why you should claim authorship:
– Article Posts/SERP results which display a small image of the author have a better click-through-rate, because the internet user is more inclined to trust the words of a real person, over the ones of an unknown one.
– According to Google, authors who claim authorship gain more credibility (=they rank better) on the search engine. If they constantly create fresh, compelling and unique content, their other articles will also rank better.
– Lastly, the whole point of networking through Google is being perceived as an expert in your field, and the Authorship mark-up will help you achieve this.
But how exactly can you get the Authorship mark-up? There are two, easy methods. The first one would be to register an email from the domain that you contribute to. The second method would be by linking your content directly from the Google+ profile page. The latter method is recommended to writers that contribute to multiple pages. Here’s how you do it:
– Go to your Ecommerce website -> profile -> Author Bio. Write a short description and include a link to your Google+ page with the ?rel-author tagattached to it.
– Now you must go to your Google + Profile -> Contributor to Section (at the About Page) -> Add site. Make sure you link as current contributor. To ensure that the Authorship mark-up works you should add a clear image of yourself (no avatars or cartoons), and link to your author page (example: www.mybusiness/blog/author/Christina-Wilkes). This will make it easier for Google to attribute content to you.
If you made the settings correctly, the small thumbnail will automatically accompany every post you ever make on the website. To make things more interesting go to your Google Webmaster Tools and check the analytics for the posts linked to your Google+ account.
5. Link Your Business Website to the Google+ Page Directly
We have already discussed about the Google+ badge, which allows you to link the Google+ page directly to your website. It is imperative to include the Google+ Badge on your blog/website to encourage more likes, and increase audience from within the search results. All you have to do to set it up is to Install a Google+ Badge on your website. An added bonus would be that sites with Google+ badges automatically receive an active follow widget within the search results.
Alternatively, you can use the Direct Connect option to automatically link your Google+ to the website without using the official badge or button. All you need to do is add a line of code. According to the Moz Blog there is a direct correlation between Google +1s and higher search rankings. Apparently, posts shared on Google+ are crawled and indexed almost immediately. If adding a Google+ badge to your website can help you rank better on search engines, why not do it?
6. Get Local
Every Ecommerce business, regardless of its influence or size, should leverage the power of local listings. According to recent studies, the most successful businesses are small ones which have learned how to profit from their local markets. Google+ has replaced Google Places, and now customers can leave reviews directly on your Google places page. But what makes Google+ so important for local business?
As you may very well know, searches sometimes show reviews and local listings relevant to your position. Irrespective of your activity on Google+ local, clients can leave reviews of your business. By optimizing your page for local listings, and encouraging reviews your presence will become more prominent. All you have to do to receive local listing is to claim your local business or place, and verify with your phone number.
7. Reach Out to Influencers
Our last piece of advice would be to get your name out. You’ve prepared enough; you’ve claimed authorship and got listed on local searches. Now it is time to connect. One of the most effective ways of increasing your influence on Google+ is by reaching out to influencers. Follow key-personalities in your industry, share their posts, comment to them and mention them when you get the chance.
Reciprocity is the key to success. Many influencers are aware of their real fans, and they might return the favour one day. Having your name or website exposed to a larger audience will help you boost your business. Although not all attempts will lead to a post on Google+, they can fuel new relationships with that influencer. Don’t forget, the key to social networking is listening. It’s not only about you, but also about the people around you.
We hope that this guide will help you get started on Google+. Another thing you should do is play with Communities. Try to take part in communities that are relevant for your Ecommerce business. And that’s about it! For further questions or recommendations, we await your comments.
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