In today's "Marketing Monday" article, +Greg Trujillo of CT Social discusses the Search Engine Optimization benefits of Google+ and how marketers can leverage Google+ for greater visibility in Google Search.
Since the launch of Google+ a couple of years ago, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts have been pointing out the advantages of using Google's social media network over others. The honest truth is, if you are attempting to increase your Google Search visibility, one of the quickest ways is through Google+.
Google has set up it's social media network in such a way that every public post
you make will be indexed by Google Search. This is a huge advantage over other social
networks. Google+ is the only network that allows search to index every
public post. This means that the more you post about your area of expertise,
the more visible you will become for those search terms.
Now, this realization has brought about a wave of spammers.
People are dropping link
litter all over Google+, whether it is on their personal page or in a
community. I have found many people do not even realize they
are spamming their audience or the communities they are a part of. Spammy
behavior can negatively affect your efforts on Google+. Where other social
networks seem to embrace link litter, the users of Google+ crave direct
interaction.
The content of your post is very important, since the
messaging you provide will quickly give your audience an idea of what you have
shared. This “hook” so to speak is going to play a direct role in the success
of your post. With a detailed and compelling message you should see an increase
in interactions as well as an increase in clicks to the page you have shared. The
content of your post is not the only factor to keep in mind; the time of day
and location of your post will also play an important role. Having a detailed
post will, however, give Google Search the ability to properly index the post.
The people of Google+ are not looking for a quickie. They are not excited to see someone post content and run. Personally, if I have someone circled and have repeatedly attempted to engage them in meaningful discussions, I will uncircle them if I am unsuccessful in getting beyond one-line answers. I take the stance that if you are going to take the time to create a post, you need to engage with the people that are commenting on the content you have created. This is how you build a community around your content. People will not only want to see your content, they will want to share it with their followers as well. The more social interaction you gain on your post, the better it will perform in Google Search.
Google’s Search + Your World helps your posts reach a broader audience. The people that have already followed you will be more likely to see the content you have shared on Google+ when they perform a Google Search for any relevant keywords/terms/questions. In addition, any posts of yours that they have shared will have a chance to show up in their followers’ search results in the same way. Simply put, the more people that +1, comment, and share your post, the greater the visibility your post will have on Google Search.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to leveraging
Google+ for visibility in Google Search.
Key Takeaways
- NO LINK LITTER!
- If all you are going to post is a link, don’t bother. In the long run, this is more hurtful than helpful for your Google+ presence.
- Create Detailed Posts!
- Just like any page on your website, a detailed post will be indexed for a much larger range of terms that are included in the posting. Creating detailed posts will give your posts greater visibility within Google Search.
- Engage with your audience!
- People want to be heard and acknowledged-- that is why you are posting for SEO value. It is no different for people trying to start a conversation with you; they want to be heard and acknowledged for taking the time to notice YOU. The more you talk with people, the more people that will want to talk with you.
Bonus Tip:
Make sure to place hashtags at the bottom of your Google+ post. Hashtags were previously just for Google+ Search so that you would be
able to see what topics are trending today and search other hashtagged topics.
Now Hashtags are able to be found in regular Google Search, which helps to give
your Google+ posts even greater visibility than before!
I would love to hear about how Google+ has helped your
overall web visibility. Comment below and share your story with us!