Google+ and SEO: The Relevance Google+ is the social solution to the unification of all Google’s services. From possible rank increases in organic searches to a higher level of community engagement, all businesses should take the steps to create a Google+ account now.
According to Casey Newton of C|Net, Google+ and its 400 million active users are taking the social community by storm. Google+ greatly enhances the user experience by combining multiple accounts (such as gmail, Google+ personal & business pages, YouTube, etc.) and making it easy to share information with users within your circle. Other Google+ users can easily follow you and the information you share publicly, and if they’re searching for something related to your industry, you may be more likely to appear in their searches.
In addition, you can become an author to your website by using a simple rich snippet in the code linking your site to your Google+ profile page. This builds trust in users searching for services or items related to your industry. It also increases your chances in getting found by users who are already in your circles or communities.
So, how does Google+ relate to organic search engine optimization?
-Users can +1 your posts, photos, links you’re sharing. It gives Google signals of what those users’ interests are, and can send relevant paid ads and organic results tailored to them. The more user engagement on Google+, the higher the relevancy and customized experience, which keeps those users coming back to you.
-Google+ helps build personal and brand influence. Create a custom cover to match your Facebook, Twitter & YouTube accounts. It builds a strong online presence that is cross-platform and generates trust and transparency.
-Google+ profiles and pages are considered high-ranking. You should treat your pages as separate entities and optimize the pages for SEO. Fill out the profiles completely, add your URL (it even appears in the cover photo), and post stories, blogs and relevant photos often.
-When someone +1’s content on your website, it creates a backlink to your site. Backlinks are still prominently used by Google in search results and could increase your overall ranking.
For a more in-depth discussion, read Mark Traphagen’s article here, and Casey Newton’s article here. Also, view Maile Ohye’s video about Google+ and the benefits here.
Remember, good organic Search Engine Optimization is something that doesn’t happen overnight. Creating relevant & fresh website content, meta tag optimization, authorship linking and paying attention to your backlinks should always be a part of your SEO campaign. Google is setting the stage to become a powerhouse in social media so it’s time you create your Google+ profile and business page here.
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