It may not be Facebook, but Google Plus has an impressive and growing reach. The platforms connection with Google assures that posts will be highly visible in search.
But some special Google Plus marketing tips will also elevate your approach to what might be called Google Plus Marketing Ninja status. Here are some important secrets for marketing with Google Plus from the ninja of social media marketing herself, Lisa Barone.
Formatting is Your Friend
With Goggle Plus content whizzing by like scenery outside the window of a fast moving car, it helps to have something — anything — to set yours apart.
Thankfully, some simple formatting hacks can help you create just enough of an impact to get readers to pause and have a closer look. Lisa suggests:
- *text* to give selected wording that bold look,
- _text_ to add italics for emphasis,
- and -text- to strike through other words for a dramatic effect sure to catch your reader’s attention.
Be sure to use formatting to help your content stand out.
Plus Mentions Add to Engagement
Here’s another important Google Plus feature you should be using to create greater engagement with followers and those you have in your circles. It’s the +Mention feature (shown below) as Lisa explains:
A +Mention on Google+ is similar to @’ing someone on Twitter or tagging them on Facebook. It’s functionality designed to let a person or brand know that you’ve mentioned them in the hope that they’ll share your content with their own audience or engage directly on your page. To tag someone on Google+ and get their attention, simply type +[their name]. As you type, you’ll notice that Google will propagate a list of people for you to select. Just make sure you click the right one.
Hashtags Aren’t Just for Twitter
No, hashtags aren’t just for Twitter anymore. Here’s how Lisa suggests they be used (shown above) to add special ninja powers to your Google Plus marketing:
When you insert hashtags into your Google+ status updates, Google will automatically link that hashtag to the search results for that query. By pairing your status updates to high-traffic Google+ queries, this can help your updates attract more attention. For example, if you write a post about marketing lessons from American Idol, by using the #americanidol hashtag in your update, it makes your content more findable to people searching for news on that topic.
Archives Can Be Excellent
If you’ve created a lot of content in the past, don’t let it go to waste. As Lisa explains, Google Plus is a fast moving community with lots of content sharing going on.
Also, people are checking in to find out the latest in the news streams of the people and brands they follow at many different times, so there’s need for you to keep that content coming.
Recycling archived content can be a great way to give your old stuff new mileage and at the same time keep providing new updates for your Google Plus followers.
Hangouts Offer Many Options
You’ve probably heard of or even used Google Hangouts, the video conferencing platform offered free to anyone with a Google Plus account. But maybe you’ve never really thought about how this tool can be most effectively used for marketing purposes.
Of course, Google Plus can help facilitate daily operations, especially in a mobile work environment, Lisa explains. Think about holding virtual office meetings or brainstorming sessions as two possibilities.
But there are other ways to use Google Hangouts for marketing too.
For example, think about recording a tutorial or Webinar. You can do this using Google Plus without the need for any additional video software, and Google can record and upload your Webinar to YouTube for free. This gives you maximum visibility. You can’t ask for a simpler production process than that.
And how about using Google Hangouts to answer customer questions, create interviews, host a class or make an announcement about your brand or business?
If you can think of a way to promote your business with interactive video, Google Hangouts will probably help.
Image: Wikipedia
Great formatting tips. With Google continuing to push Google+ it will continue to gain momentum, though slowly.
Stephanie
I actually prefer the look of Google+ over Facebook. It’s cleaner and not nearly as cluttered. However, I don’t think many people understand how to use it. It’s a little more complex than Facebook. But this piece could clear a little of the confusion up for some people.
Aira Bongco
Plus it is more private. You can just have a few people in your circles so you can post some stuff that you don’t want your Facebook friends to see.
Jennifer D.
I had no idea about those formatting hacks. Thanks for the info. I’ll start implementing that info today. 🙂
Sagar Rai
Hey Shawn,
I haven’t spent abundant time on Google Plus. But I knew that anything you can perform to bond that what you’re doing online with what Google possess, has the potential to induce you hierarchic higher in the search engines. And once you’re ranked higher, you’ll be found more often and and a lot of individuals can find yourself on your web site.
Shawn,
Nice how-to guide! I never use the formatting (bold, etc.) and will start implementing it in my next Google+ updates. I’m also interested in sharing content from my archive, as you suggested.
I do have one question: Is there a way to add multiple +mention from a circle quickly?
Martin Lindeskog
Shawn: Did you know that the ninjas were hired assassins? What could the connotation be between a person “working in the dark,” and Google+?! 😉
Emily
Haha yes, very suspicious 😉
One thing I’ve discovered is that Google Plus seems to detect certain keywords in your post, including links, that automatically adds hashtags to your post (without even typing hashtag symbols) so I guess putting valuable text in your updates also emphasizes the idea of what you’re trying to deliver.
ed pierce
I haven’t even given Google+ a thought when it comes to marketing. I just always clicked to share some posts and such and that was about it. I need to start using it better from now on.
Thank you for that concise list of tips. I have been grappling with best practices on Google+ and found your suggestions helpful.
Google+ has to be the best choice for businesses to get a social media profile. Facebook is obviously the way to go for a personal account but the advantages of G+ for business will become more and more obvious as the network grows. The link with the biggest search engine in the world certainly can’t do any harm to our business profiles in the future.