With more than 40 million users Google+ is growing as a social media powerhouse. Considering Google is the largest search engine in the world it would only make sense that you create a Google+ business page. Not only is it smart because of the increase in social media exposure but Google gives its home grown social media site some preferential treatment when it comes to search engine results, and anything that helps in search results is good for business.
Using Google+ is much like any other social media site but there are a few things to keep in mind when using Google+ for business.
Share lots of pictures: Google plus is optimized for sharing photos. When using Google+ for lead generation be sure to find pictures, charts, graphs and other relevant visuals to share on your page as this is the best way to share your message virally. People do not want to read long text on web pages or anywhere other than a good book anymore so share a lot of visual content.
Link to it from your blog and website: As with any other social media site, you can’t just expect people to seek you out and add you to their Google+ circle. You need to direct them there from your company website and provide relevant content that people will want to engage with and share that content. Using sources like your blog and company website to direct traffic can be effective in lead generation because we are in a social world and people rely on others in their social media circles to give them recommendations and direction on where shop for specific products. It not only increases your online footprint but gives you more credibility and exposure with potential customers.
Ask people to share your content: There is nothing wrong with asking people to share your content with other people on their social media networks. Tell other Google+ users to share your content with the people in their circles but be sure to not come off as needy or desperate.
Is it actually working: Google+ lead generation can be tracked. Ask your webmaster to include it in your analytics in order to see how much traffic is being generated from your Google+ page. You can track plus.Google.com as a referral site to see statistics on Google+ lead generation. Proper analytics are important for any website trying to generate leads online because it will allow you to see what is working, what content generates traffic and which keywords are effective for search results. The same is true for your Google+ lead generation efforts and should be monitored closely.
All in all, Google+ is much like any other social media site. It is as effective as you make it. Google+ is not a be all end all solution for your social media exposure but when used in conjunction with your other online marketing efforts it can be an effective tool for lead generation. There is not much you can do wrong when it comes to social media so be sure to explore with the different tools that Google+ gives you. Set benchmarks and goals in your analytics so you can know where you are and where you are going with your social media and online exposure. Track the traffic to and from your site and find or create relevant content that engages the end user.Keep all of these ideas and guides in mind and you will be a social media monster in no time at all.
