Are you prepared for the Google+ wave?
Though it may seem like Google+ is not currently enjoying as much success as Facebook, its impact reaches farther than what most people can see. Google’s greatest conquest is search and its newest venture is to merge social media with search quality, hence the advent of Google+.
Google knows that there will always be marketers who will try to manipulate the search results so it had to create another avenue to improve search quality.
Google has recently launched Google+ Business Pages and their popularity is increasing. Why?
Savvy businesses understand that whatever Google creates will most likely influence the algorithm. Have you done a search recently for your name and/or business in Google? Chances are, your Google+ profile will appear on the first page, ahead of some sites that have been around for years.
I believe Google+ will continue to grow once businesses realize the ranking potential. Anytime Google gets involved in a project, it’s worth another look. This is why many SEO specialists are flocking to Google+. They don’t want to be left in the dust.
Social – The New SEO
Social SEO is the newest trend to hit the internet, mainly because Google is more interested in what other people think of you rather then what you think of you. Remember the +1 button? The +1 button is Google’s answer to Facebook’s “Like” button. When you click the +1 button, you can share content on your Google+ profile with the world. When content has a high number of +1s, it is deemed higher quality and therefore can rank higher in Google.
How does SEO fit into Google+ profiles? Let’s take a look at the actual pages.
Kristi Hines of Search Engine Watch created this helpful image detailing the SEO potential of Google+ pages.
She explains the optimization potential of both Google+ personal profiles and the new Google+ Pages.
For personal profiles:
Your name corresponds to the SEO title. For personal profiles you can use your real name. Google prefers personal branding.
Your name, headline, occupation and current employer/location all make up the meta description. This is followed by introduction copy. I’ve seen these variables waver slightly but the constant is always your name and headline.
It seems as if the links are all dofollow. This includes those in the introduction, on the side of the profile and recommended links as well. Whether or not they are counted has yet to be seen since Google has admitted to discounting links even if they are dofollow. However, with this knowledge, it would be wise to include some anchor text without going overboard.
For Google+ Pages:
The SEO attributes of the Google+ Business Pages are similar to the personal profiles; however, they do not contain a field for occupation or current employer. Therefore the meta description will appear a little different.
Google is Here to Stay
Rest assured, Google will plummet to the depths of the earth, if need be, to create the best user experience for searchers. And Google+ is at the forefront of this endeavor. It would behoove anyone involved with SEO to take a look at Google+ and see the ranking potential it offers.
Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.
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