Google+ aims to transform users' relationship with Google by making the Google experience more social, interesting and personalized. While it has social networking aspects like profiles and circles, Google+ differs from networks like Facebook in that it focuses on exploring new interests and learning rather than just connecting with existing friends. For businesses, Google+ provides benefits like improved search engine rankings, integration with key Google services, and new ways to engage customers through features like hangouts and communities. The document provides strategies for businesses to make the most of Google+ for networking, content sharing, and search engine optimization.

1. Cristin Grogan | www.cristingrogan.com
Growing Your
Business with

2. Hashtag:
#GooglePlusDAE
@cristinTag Me!

3. Agenda
• What is Google+?
• Why You Need Google+
• Using Google+ for Business
• A Strategy for Starting with Google+
• Brands Doing Google+ Right!
• Q&A

4. A look at Social...
• 72% of all internet users are now active on social media
• 89% of those between 18 and 29 years old are social media users
• 72% of individuals aged 30 to 49 are engaged in social media
• 60% of people between 50 to 60 years old are active on social
media
• 43% of those 65 years old and above are engaged in social media
• 71% of users access social media from a mobile device
http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/01/17/20-social-media-facts-and-statistics-you-should-know-in-2014

5. The Real
Question?
Do I REALLY
have to sign
up for
ANOTHER
social
network?

6. What is

7. “We don’t think of Google+ in terms of what other people
are doing today. Certainly, there’s that feature-race...But for us, even if
there were no social service out there today, we would want
to implement this strategy.
“[Google+] is about transforming your relationship with
Google.The number of people going to Google on a daily basis rivals virtually all other
properties out there. If we can make that experience more social,
interesting and personalized, that’s something we want to do
no matter who else is engaged in the same space.”
- Bradley Horowitz, Google’s VP of Product

8. We’re under the impression that Google+
is Google’s answer to Facebook...
But that’s not the case...

9. Google+ vs. Facebook
The “YOU”
Network
The “CONNECT”
Network
1) The need to belong/connect
with friends they already have
(users don’t want to be connected to new
people)
2) Focus: Self-Presentation
1) Connects others to NEW people
who share similar interests
2) Focus: Learning & Exploring

10. Google+ may have as a strong social component...
...BUT it’s the biggest change in communications since the interactive
website.
Google+ is not ‘another’ social network. It’s a new platform that is
creating and changing online communication.

11. Google+ is different...
• Platform Structure
• Each profile is similar to a website
• Each post is similar to a page within a website that can be linked back and ranked for target keywords
used within the post
• Links posted on other social networks are not crawled by Google. Links posted with Google+ are
• Google+ is not a separate platform/destination site, like Facebook and Twitter: it’s a “social layer” spread
across Google’s various services & products
• Not “broadcast-heavy” like Facebook & Twitter - relies on conversations to keep the momentum and
activity going
• Valuable content sharing with long-form comment threads that foster discussions between Google+
participants
• No churning out “quick posts” like other social media platforms
• SEO-optimized
• Facebook & Twitter cut Google OFF from it’s data. So while using Facebook and Twitter is great for
networking and social media marketing within the platform, you can’t limit your business to that for
SEO benefits. Now Google+ gives you that opportunity.

12. The Best of Each Network
Google
Hangouts
Networking,
Groups
Wall, Newsfeed,
Commenting, +1,
Brand pages
Hashtags &
Open search
Video
Email
Mini Blog (SEO)

13. Why are we hedging on Google+?
• Consumers:
• Steep learning curve: Google+ is not as easy to use as other popular social media
channels (Google hasn’t explained exactly what to do on the social platform -
what’s the purpose of using it?)
• Many in their network is not actively using it (as of yet...)
• Consumers aren’t sure of how participating will benefit them
• Aesthetic design (plain-looking vs. Twitter/Facebook, etc.)
• Business Owners/Marketers:
• New platform to learn; not understanding all of the benefits
• Lack of consumer ‘buy-in’ on the platform
• Because consumers are participating in greater numbers on Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, etc

14. Why Do I Need

15. Today, it could be argued that the
most compelling reason for brands to
engage on Google+ is simply because
it’s brought to us by Google...

16. User Adoption Rate
• Launched in September 2011
• Over one billion enabled accounts
• 359 million active monthly users
• Growing at a rate of 33% per year
• People aged 45 to 54 years old have increased their Google+ usage by 56% since
2012
• 25 to 34 year olds are the most active demographic on Google+
• 800,000 users join per month
• 70% of business brands have a presence
• 1.2 monthly page visits
• 6.6 million users are located in the US
• 68% of users are male
• 28% of millenials visit at least monthly
• More than 5 billion times a day +1 is clicked
• 1.5 billion photos uploaded per week
“If this place is a ghost town
then I see dead people. Lots and
lots of very interesting, highly
educated, talented, artistic and
funny dead people”

17. #1: SEO Benefits
The lines between social media and SEO are becoming blurrier by the
day...because social media is increasingly impacting search engine
results.
Google is pursuing this with each post you make counting towards
your SEO equity.
According to a study by SearchMetrics, social signal recommendations
account for 7 out of the 8 most highly correlated ranking factors in
Google search results. Google +1’s lead...

18. SEO: Google Search
Ranking Factors

19. #2: ‘Social Layering’ into
Google Experience
• Google+ is integrated with other vital Google service offerings
like GMail, YouTube, AdWords, Google Local, etc. In order
to access these you must have a Google+ account. It pervades
the necessary (and inescapable) use of Google during the user’s
online experience.

20. #3: Value of Users
• The QUALITY of the conversations and members
on Google+ is higher than the value of those on
Facebook

21. #3: Impact on Search
Experience
• Ability to own your presence through Google Local
• Testimonials and reviews possible when you list your business on Google+
• Combines information, content and context to user search and decision making process
for new products & services
• Ability to own your digital brand presence and identity through Google Authorship
• Personal context when searching through customized results, profiles in searches, profiles
and pages on Google+ as a part of returned search results
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9TTBxarbs

22. The Verdict...
It’s a MUST-USE platform!
Google+ impacts TOO much of the consumer’s
valuable Google-based research during the
decision-making phase/experience for your
business NOT to be on it.

23. for Business

24. Google+ Business Page
• Google+ has replaced Google Places/Local - through Google+, you
can now own the way your business appears in a Google search
• Integration with Google Maps which enables consumers to find
pertinent contact information like your phone number, address,
directions and hours of operation
• Keep your page updated - If you use Google’s services, Google will
limit the appearance of ‘competition’ directly below your Google
business listing
• Plays well with mobile - especially Google-operating devices
• Increases consumer engagement where user is searching for you -
instant access to customer testimonials, reviews and ratings through
the Google+ Business listing
• SEO benefits & SERP

25. Get Local
Own these results!

26. Brand Page
• If you’re not a local business, Google+ has an option for you...
• Having a presence on Google+ greatly impacts your search
results - your presence surfaces your content, amplifying you
presence on Google Search, directly benefits any Ad campaigns
you run with Google
• Use Google+’s features to get the most out of connecting with
your customers and amplifying your content strategy, creating
conversations and interesting ways to engage with your
community
• Engaging your brand in different communities allows you to
find more of your target consumers and start speaking with
them to genuinely and authentically introduce your brand,
services and products

27. Circles
• Circles are the way you ‘group’ and follow people on Google+ (similar to an
‘email list’)
• Focus on WHOM you have in your circles
• Segment the content you share on Google+ by using Circles. This can be used to
strategically drive traffic from a specific group you’re connected with (i.e. ‘Customer
circle’, ‘Potential customer’ circle, etc.); This also allows you to make your content
more relevant to the consumer, increasing the chance that it will be shared
• Share what is of value to each of your circles to grow your influence on Google+
• Target specific promotions, offers, etc. to these groups
• Circles also dictate what you see in your Google+ newsfeed: you can choose to see
streams from each of your circles and control how much content you receive from
each stream. Or you can choose to receive updates from specific people or groups.

28. The Ultimate
Networking Tool
• Yes! Even better than LinkedIn!
• Anyone with a Gmail account and a Google+
account will be able to message anyone else with a
Gmail and Google+ account even if they don’t
know their email address.
• Direct & Private Google+ messaging straight to
their Gmail inbox
• You can I send anyone a Google+ mail? Yes! As
long as you have added them to one of your
Circles. And if you prefer privacy, these settings
are adjustable in your privacy settings.

29. Google+ Authorship
• Google Authorship helps searchers connect your personal brand with the content
they’re looking for (‘putting a face to their search’, identifying YOU as the key
influencer on a topic - incredibly powerful!)
• Google allows you to enable a connection between your brand’s site and your
official Google+ page - this produces a “verified site” notation that shows up on a
brand’s Google+ page
• Use it to gain exposure and build a personal brand in the niche that YOU want
• Especially powerful if you’re in a local business owner and/or in an industry that
makes you the face of your business (entrepreneur, business owner, doctor,
lawyer, realtor, photographer, etc.)
• Your most recent posts then also show in Gmail correspondences and

30. Google+ Authorship

31. Search Engine
Optimization
• Optimize your Google+ Profile to be found for keywords in your niche
• Complete required fields, website URL, business details and description,
including keywords in your niche
• Have your Google+ profile page verified by Google (set up a custom URL)
• Link your Google+ profile page to your home website and social extensions
• Consistently share high-quality content with your Circles and Communities that
directly relates to those topics, and include appropriate keywords and hashtags
when you post

32. +1 Badge
• +1 buttons can be embedded onto websites and connect with your Google+ page; it’s
the only social button with a trackback to a social website that also directly affects
SEO
• If someone clicks that +1 button your website, it’s a personal endorsement and
recommendation that your site provides high quality, educational content.
• As more of those clicks gather, Google takes those into account, along with the
most common keywords of your site and factors it into it’s SERP when the
appropriate keyword is searched
• The +1 button is the fastest growing social recommendation widget in history and is
on over 1 million websites, receiving well over 5 billion impressions a day
• It’s ALSO Google’s way of tracking other individuals who are recommending and
interacting with your brand across the web (the greater influence they have on
Google+, the more it impacts your SERP)

33. Unique URL
• When you post something new on Google+, whether it’s to a
Community, a specific Circle or Public, Google+ gives that post a
unique URL
• This is indexable by Google and therefore can potentially rank in
search results
• This content ranks when a relevant keyword in the post is
searched. It’s affected by two things:
• The amount of people who like the content: The people that re-
share and +1 your post within Google+, the more link equity
that post builds (share QUALITY content)
• The amount of content you share: The more relevant content
you share on Google+, the more likely it is that your material
will display when those keywords are searched

34. Unique URL

35. Breakdown: How Google+
works with Google Search
• When you share a link on Google+, the anchor text - first 70 characters - becomes the
title of the page you are sharing
• Only shared links (the links that are uploaded via Google+’s Link Share option) are
followed and pass authority/equity into SEO; links in the post body are “nofollow”
• Most links in your Google+ “About” page are followed and DO pass link equity
• Uploaded images don’t pass external link equity. Good images may increase a posts’
popularity and click-through rates on the platform only, however, they do not pass link
equity on the search engine

36. Google+ Communities
• Google+ Communities are similar - comparatively speaking - to Facebook groups,
but remember, people join groups and like brands on Facebook to outwardly express
who they are to their network; people join Google+ Communities for the
connection, information and the community
• Join communities: Listen First!
• Join Communities where your target market may be: identify interest areas and
challenges within your target market
• Join communities that you are interested in that may benefit your business.
(Interested in learning more about social media marketing? There are hundreds of
communities to involve yourself in).
• Position yourself as an industry authority with valuable inputs by posting
questions and answers to other’s comments

38. Hangouts
• Google+ Hangouts are Google’s answer to making YouTube more
sociable and taking Google Chat/Talk one step further
• Through Google Chat on the Google+ platform you can talk to
anyone instantly - not just those you are connected to within the
Gmail platform
• Simplifying the method for creating and producing YouTube videos
for brands, individuals and small businesses
• Ability to ‘Visual Message’ with anyone in your connected Google+
network (Skype privacy settings limit this)
• Up to 15 people converse at once - and you can open that up with the
On Air option
• Take your consumer behind the scenes and/or expand your content
marketing with a ‘visual’ and ‘how-to’ edge

39. Use for Hangouts
• Product Demonstration Sessions
• New Product Launches
• Customer Support
• Webinars
• “Hangouts On Air” - Live streamed on YouTube!
• Consultations
• Give your current consumers something special/behind the scenes
• Host a hangout with other business owners that potential clients can
watch live
• Press Conferences
• Host Question & Answer sessions
• Have current customers come on and share their experiences with your
products

40. Google+ Ripples
• As a part of the Google+ product offering, Google+ has released Ripples to give you
insight into your Google+ usage
• Ripples creates an interactive graph of the public shares of any public post or
URL on Google+ to show you how it has ‘rippled’ through the Google+ network
and help you discover new and interesting people to follow and to measure how
your content is being used
• You can use Ripples to see:
• Who has publicly shared a post or URL from your page and the comments
they’ve posted along with it
• How a post or URL was shared over time
• Statistics on how a post or URL was shared from your page
• Use Ripples to find your influencers to maintain and continue building that
relationship

42. Photos
• Google+ hopes to become the place to go for photo storage, editing and sharing by
implementing photo and video services
• Auto-Backup on Google-based phones allows all mobile pictures to be auto-backed
up to Google+ profile (you can also upload from computer, iPhone, etc.)
• Auto Highlight helps you find the best photos of those photos through a
streamlined, easy to manage Photo Selector
• Auto Enhance includes 18 features (including Photo Booth, Instagram-like filters
and borders, Auto Enhance and Auto Awesome turning related photos into .GIFs -
turns albums interactive and more of an ‘experience’ to review)
• Photos can also be tagged and are keyword searchable within your profile
• Decide exactly who you want to share your photos with through Circles (instead of
entire network on FB & Twitter)
• Google+ offers automatic back-up and free, unlimited storage for lower-res photos
taken on Android and Apple phones

43. Hashtags
• Hashtag help people find and join new conversations on a particular topic
• More strategic than a Twitter hashtag - in fact, Google+ suggests them for
you to help you join appropriate conversations based on the content you’re
about to post
• Hashtags are a great way to connect the dots between your content and the
Circles & Communities that are talking about the same topics
• Hashtags also help other users to find you when they search the keyword used
in the hashtag as your content will display in their search
• Using consistent hashtags (same 5 or 6, rotating consistently), also helps you
rank SEO-wise by building keyword association & equity

44. Google+ Post Timing
• Google+
Timing
calculates the
optimal time
to share your
posts on
Google+ It
analyzes
engagement
on your posts
and
determines
what time is
best for you to
post.

45. Formatting Your Posts
• You can format your posts in Google+
(YAY!)
• Headline: Use keywords & make it engaging
(remember - this is picked up by Google
searches!)
• Use asterisks around a word to bold it (*)
and keep your headline under 60
characters (or to the first line)
• Italics: Use underscores around the word/s you want to italicize
• Strikeout: Put hyphens around the word or sentence you want to strike through
• Bullets: Hit your spacebar, enter a hyphen, and then hit your space bar again
• Google+ will only post the first few lines with a “read more” option

46. Google+ Helpouts
• Find Help, Get Help (and get paid for helping!)
• With Google Helpouts you can get help anytime from people
with expertise across a range of topics
• As a business, you can take advantage by listing your products
and services on this platform and assisting people who are
looking for their help. If you select to have a cost associated
with it, individuals can pay using Google Wallet
• Conduct classes, information sessions, private lessons, etc.
• Individuals can also leave you reviews on your business,
expertise, etc. which again, gives you more leverage in search
results
• You can only take advantage of it with a Google+ account!

47. Google+ & Adwords
• When you have a Google+ Brand or Business page and you use
Google AdWords, Google sources information from Google+,
including endorsements, in the ad (prioritizing them)
• These are called annotations, also referred to as ‘shared
endorsements’ when shown with a Google+ user’s name or
photo
• Your ads can show social annotations with no setup or
management needed

48. Google+ Do’s
• DO choose your cover photo with responsive design in mind
• DO use hashtags when you’re talking about your niche/service/product area
• DO encourage reviews from your customers on Google+
• DO fill out your Google+ profile, upload your profile image, etc.
• DO add people from your industry into your Circles and continue to connect with
them
• DO segment your content based on the individuals that are in each of your Circles
• DO add +1 to your website
• DO network by sending private messages via Gmail once you’ve established a
relationship with someone on Google+
• DO join Communities that you’re interested in...and start talking!
• DO spend the time learning HOW to participate and understand how the users and
platform are different from Facebook or Twitter users

49. Google+ Don’ts
• DON’T overdo the hashtags!
• DON’T use Google+ like Facebook
• DON’T log into a community full of your potential customers and immediately
try to sell your products or talk about your offerings. Give first and focus on
making connections (Don’t spam!)
• DON’T “keyword stuff” your profile to take unfair advantage of the SEO
benefits
• DON’T only post about your product
• DON’T post without a comment (no links or pictures, etc.)

50. Getting Started with
A Strategy...

51. Step 1: Set up your
Brand/Business Page
• Pick the appropriate category:
• Local Business or Place
• Product or Brand
• Company, Institution or Organization
• Arts, Entertainment or Sports
• Other
• Complete your profile
• Verify your page and claim your vanity URL
• Add the Google+ badge to drive followers from your website
• Link your YouTube channel to your page

52. Step 2: Add to Circles
& Groups
• Join communities and add brands and individuals to your circles
that are relevant to your business
• They could be brands in the same industries, your competitors,
businesses in the same location, contacts that you’ve made at
networking events, etc.
• These brands should have the same audience as you and look
for pages that have bigger followings

53. Step 3: Watch
• Take a few days to watch them closely.
• Learn what type of content works for them, i.e. what
resonates with their audience? What draws the most
+1‘s or re-shares. Learn what topics people interact
with.
• Pay close attention to the people that are interacting
with the brand and who are active commenters and
participants.
• (Realize that these influencers can help grow your brand and
will most likely be interested in your products, if they are
interested in your competition.)

54. Step 4: Engage
• Follow those active users and get on their radar.
• Comment on their posts, engage with what they’re sharing
• When you add value to their posts and engage with them in a
meaningful way, reciprocity will occur within the Google+
community, resulting in engagement on your page.
• Through this, you’ll grow a targeted audience of people interested
in you, your business and your services/products
• Continue the conversation via Gmail only after the relationship is
built

55. Step 5: Repeat!
• Repeat with new Communities.
• Learn more about your influencers by using Ripples

56. Brands Doing
Right...

57. Al Jazeera America
• GOAL: Al Jazeera America aimed to create a more interactive newsroom, involving the
public in the editorial process, at their news channels’ launch
• STRATEGY: Promote Open Dialogue with Hangouts on Air: Use a Google+ Hangout
on air (live) to tap into communities and set a tone for the network of “human-voiced”
storytelling: stories as told by those who are experiencing them instead of by outside
observers
• METHOD: Before their first broadcast, they invited their audience to pitch story ideas
in a Hangout On Air that were not receiving adequate coverage by the national news
media. They promoted the hashtag #OpenEditorial to solicit responses and invited the
best commenters into the Hangout On Air, including some of the stories during their
first broadcast.

58. TOPSHOP
• GOAL: Set the trend through innovative creative digital executions to create excitement around it’s London
Fashion Week activities
• STRATEGY: Bring excitement and energy of TopShop brand to customers all over the world by partnering
with the world’s largest digital company, Google
• METHOD: TopShop unleashed a series of innovative online happenings that allowed consumers unique,
individual, interactive communication with the brand
• Backstage and Red Carpet Google Hangouts
• Be the Model - Top models guided their G+ followers through London Fashion Week with exclusive
content on their G+ streams. They were HD micro cameras “model cams” so online viewers could see
and feel what models experience as they stride down the runway
• Be Part of the Team - An exclusive hangout on air was created so users could get a unique behind the
scenes look at TopShop’s headquarters, featuring a host of fashion insiders just before the start of the
TopShop show
• Be the Front Row Fashionista - An exclusive red carpet hangout on air the day of the show with a
perspective from the front row, witnessing the arrival of leading editors and celebrities
• Be the Buyer - Implemented a hangout app enabling users to pick and choose their favorite items and
share them with friends on Google+ - an online contest was run to pick the most stylish user.

59. Dr. Isaac Porter
• WHO: Dr. Isaac Porter is a the owner and practicing physician at Lowry Porter
Opthalmology in Raleigh, NC
• GOAL: Build his personal brand, the practice’s reputation and it’s SEO through content
marketing; use online resources to help build consumer trust and encourage new
patients to make appointments
• STRATEGY: Use Google+ as his business and brand development headquarters
• METHOD: Use Google+ features that help to enhance each part of his business
• Uses Google+ Communities to discuss challenges and new procedures with other
eye doctors and learn about health care changes and marketing
• Uses Authorship + Business/Local to link his face with his business results on a
Google Search
• Uses Hangouts to make informational videos, interview patients and talk to other
experts across the U.S.

60. THANK YOU!

61. Q & A
Thank you!
www.cristingrogan.co
m
cg@cristingrogan.com
Twitter: @cristin
LinkedIn: