Have you heard the word? Google Plus pages are now open for businesses! Once you have set up and optimized your business Page, you can start sharing content. To make sure that account holders who circle your business see content you share in their account newsfeed, make sure your business is circling back anyone who adds you. Then, use these tips to get started sharing!
Update Regularly. You’ll want to post public posts frequently to make sure your page looks fresh and relevant. Aim for at least 1-2 times per week, or up to 3-4 times per day, depending on how much time you want to devote to the site.
Be Uniquely Engaging. Just as with Twitter and Facebook, you want to post interesting, engaging content to Google Plus. But, don’t just post the same content that you do on other social outposts. Mix it up and keep your content on Google Plus as unique as possible to give current fans and followers a good reason to add and engage with your business on this social site in addition to Twitter and Facebook.
Share External Content and Commentary. Google Plus is a great place to share links to blog posts and articles– from your business and from other sources about your industry, community, or niche in general. Whatever you post, make sure to include a short comment or thought along with the content to make your posts engaging.
Create Unique Native Content. Google Plus allows more long-form content than many social media sites, so consider posting some unique native content to the site to see how it performs in addition to sharing links to external posts. For example, you could share tips or expert opinions, much like you would on a business blog post.
Reshare Other Users’ Content. On Google Plus, re-sharing content from other users directly is a great way to engage with those users and to find new posts, tips, and ideas. So, re-share content that you see posted that would be relevant to your followers. Make sure to add a comment with your share, and tag the original sharer using the +Username convention in the share box.
Post Links to Online Offers. Google Plus doesn’t allow businesses to host contests or promotions directly on the site. But you can share links to special offers for your business that are hosted elsewhere online. This is a great way to encourage people to spread the word about your online specials, because people can re-share your public posts with their own. But, make sure you are aware of Google Plus’ guidelines on contests and promotions.
Post Publicly. To get the most out of your Google Plus activity in search engines, you’ll want to post publicly, because public posts on Google Plus can be indexed on Google’s search engine. Posting publicly will also ensure that content shows up on your Page for any new users who visit your page. To do this, simply select “Public” as the option for whom to share your content with whenever you post.
Share Selectively. Don’t forget, you can share content specifically with circles you have created. This is great for sharing specific content that you don’t want to show up on your public page. For example, creating a circle for VIPs or special customers gives you an easy way to share unique content and engage your most loyal advocates and brand ambassadors.
Lock Content If Necessary. Be aware that if you share content within specific circles that you don’t want those users to share with their own circles, you need to lock that content from being reshared. You have to do this after a post has been shared by navigating to the post itself, clicking the upper right hand arrow, and then clicking “Lock this Post.” There, you also have the ability to edit a post, disable comments, or unlock a post if you want people to be able to reshare it.
Tag Strategically. Did you know that when you list an individual user or business page in the share box on Google Plus (whether or not you are sharing the post publicly or with a circle,) it will send that user a notification that your account has shared a post directly with them? Use this function strategically on specific posts that you want to alert users about. For example, you could tag someone who had commented or engaged on similar content, or tag employee or a local business leader who would benefit from seeing the post. Make sure to use this tactic wisely, and avoid spamming users with tag notifications, because they could block your post or profile if you annoy them with frequent or abusive tagging. But, used wisely, this tip can help you increase +1s and shares on your Google Plus posts.
Use Hashtags Intentionally. Recently, Google Plus announced that the site supports hashtags, which when clicked will take users to a search for that keyword on Google Plus, as well as other content tagged with that hashtag. So, find, use, and even create hashtags to help your content spread. For example, you could create a location-specific hashtag to promote other local businesses or community activities on GooglePlus.
Involve Your Fans. What do your Google Plus followers want to hear from your brand on Google Plus? Try asking them! Since business Pages are brand new, now is a great time to get involved with your fanbase and ask your community what they want to hear from your brand. Also, find ways to recognize and work with your Google Plus followers. For example, you could re-share content that your followers have shared on Google Plus.
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