Top 5 Best Practices For Companies On Google+

Google+ has been around for just over two years, and in that short amount of time, it has become one of the largest social networks in the word. It’s no wonder that businesses have caught onto this trend and ventured over to Google+ to create their own company pages. Don’t worry if you’re feeling a bit confused about joining a new social media platform, because every company on Google+ had to learn the ins and outs of the site before they could master yet another social network. Luckily, you have us here to help. Check out the list below for five best practices for companies on Google+!
1. Make Sure Your Profile Is Complete
When you create your company page on Google+, you need to make sure that you include all the information you possibly can. Current and potential customers will be turned off if they take the time to visit your profile only to see that it’s incomplete. Even when you’re just starting out, it’s possible to make your page look like it’s been around for awhile. Include a thorough “About” section, and add links to all your websites and your other social media profiles. By doing this, the users who visit your page will know exactly where to find you around the web.
2. Join (Or Create) Communities
Communities are a great feature on Google+, and companies have recently discovered that they can utilize these groups in their marketing strategies. Communities are formed around specific topics, and those who are interested in the topic will join in order to share information and connect with like-minded individuals. Companies can join or create communities that are focused on a topic that’s relevant to their brand as a way to interact with their target demographic. For example, Instant Checkmate, an online background check company, created a community about background checks as a way to actively participate in the discussion about the topic that is most relevant to their brand.
3. Respond To Messages And Comments
Interacting with followers is extremely important for companies on social media. When users send messages or leave comments on your posts, you have to make sure that you acknowledge and respond because it a) shows that you care about your followers, and b) makes your brand look good to potential customers. There’s no denying the fact that people love to come across companies who really care about their customers, and sometimes, to gain that type of reputation, all it takes is a little bit of correspondence.
4. Update Daily
Consistency is key for companies who create pages on Google+. Unfortunately, a lot of companies create an account as a way to increase visibility, and then abandon it altogether, which is counterproductive. While it’s certainly beneficial to have company pages across several different social media platforms, it’s impossible to reap the benefits if your activity is scarce or nonexistent. Even if you don’t think you have enough content to post every day, you can always come up with something. You can post pictures, company news, funny office happenings, relevant articles or blog posts, and much more. The key here is to maintain your brand’s visibility among your followers, and the only way to do that is to update your page every single day.
5. Don’t Cross-Post
Cross-posting in social media lingo refers to companies who post on one social media platform, and then proceed to post the exact same content (verbatim) on every single one of their social media profiles. Obviously companies on Google+ are going to experience an overlap in followers, meaning that some users will also be following them on other sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. No one wants to see the same exact post come up in all their respective newsfeeds, because that shows a significant lack of effort and creativity on the company’s part.
Follow the five best practices outlined above to ensure that your Google+ company page remains active, visible, and creative in the eyes of your current and potential customers!
About the author: Ryan Lambert is a blogger from Miami, FL. He specializes in writing about social media and Internet marketing best practices.