Marketing a small business via social media can be confusing and frustrating because of the ever-increasing number of social media platforms. Every busy entrepreneur dreads investing their valuable time and money in a social media platform that turns out to be the latest flop. That’s why we recommend small business owners take advantage of Google+.
Why Your Small Business Should Be on Google+
Easy-to-Use Website Substitute
Creating a website can be time-consuming, not to mention expensive, when the services of a professional designer are necessary. However, a web presence is essential to successful business operations. This puts new business owners and entrepreneurs — especially moms looking to start fresh — in a bind.
Google+ can serve as a website substitute until creating a full-scale site is more feasible. That’s right: a website substitute. In many cases, a Google+ account can be even more successful at driving online traffic than a traditional site because Google tends to rank its own products higher than outside products.
Just like normal websites, Google+ accounts share vital business information with the public, but there are additional advantages.
Local SEO Probably Matters to You
Google+ makes it possible to rank well on Google for local searches. Have you ever noticed the carousel on top of Google’s search results? All that information from reviews to contact information is drawn from Google+. Learn how to rank your Google+ business page high in the search engine results pages to get optimized traffic.
It’s a Gateway to Other Social Media Sites
If something is popular on Google+, because of the built-in sharing capabilities, it will probably be popular on other traditional social media sites. Google+ is integrative and is meant to connect users of various networks. Information on the network is easily found through search engines and is readily shared on sites like Facebook and Twitter.
If you’re unsure of where to start with social media but understand its value, Google+ is an excellent starting point.
It Will Help You Engage Your Community
It’s a proven fact: customers are looking to connect with brands online. In fact, 61% of consumers say they feel better about, and are more likely to do business with, companies that deliver custom content through social networks, according to the Custom Content Council. Google+ makes this easy, especially for small businesses.
Unlike Facebook and Twitter, which place strict limits on post lengths, Google+ allows for long posts and for conversations that follow them. This is great for both providing valuable blog-like content but also for customers to interact. Your potential clients will be able not only to easily find you online because of your Google+ account, but also to communicate with you on a personal, valuable level. Engagement matters; it can make or break a small business.
If you’re looking for a centralized, online hub for your company, you should try Google+.