Google+
is arguably the most powerful social media platform for you and your
business,With 343 million active users as of January 2013, Google+
is the second most popular Social Media Platform, second only to Facebook.
Yep,
you heard right - there are more active users on Google+ than
on Twitter!
But
the sheer number of users is only part of the equation. The real reason that
Google+ is so important for SEO is quite simple. It's owned by Google - the be
all and end of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Google
is the largest search engine on the Internet. And in a world where your search
rank is key to people finding you on the Internet - and using your services -
an active Google+ profile can significantly boost your search ability.
If you have a Google+
account, try running a Google search on your own name. More often than not, the
top results will be in Google+, rather than Facebook or Twitter.
So how can you take advantage of Google+ to help push up your SEO ranking?
Today's article shares 10 simple tips to take advantage of Google+ from an SEO
standpoint!
Here
are 10 simple steps to help make Google+ work for you:
1. Use It.
(Sign up already!)
This
is pretty basic. If you haven't done so already - it's time to sign up! You may
not be first to the party, but you can still get on board and start using the
platform to advance your business.
2. Set Up
(or edit) Your Profile Carefully - With SEO in Mind!
As
you set up your profile, SEO should be driving your word choice and decisions.
Use your keywords in descriptions, titles and texts on your profile. Even your
picture can be optimized! Choose a great photo that your readers and followers
will want to look at. Then put an author tag on your photo that includes some
of your keywords.
If
you already have a Google+ profile, review what you have written there and make
edits to add in your keywords.
· Is your
picture compelling and friendly?
· Does
your profile leave the impression that you are knowledgeable and trustworthy on
the topics that matter?
3. Set
Aside 10 Minutes a Day for Google+.
Just
10 minutes. Dedicate the time while you're drinking your morning coffee or do
it each day just before lunch. Spending a few minutes every day on Google+ can
do wonders for your SEO and will boost your overall web presence.
Add
posts, share interesting links or build new connections. Put yourself out there
to connect with other users, clients and experts in your field. Share your
knowledge and build your reputation by posting relevant, interesting
links!
4. Include
Keywords and Relevant Links on Your About Page
Choose
your keywords carefully. Think about what your customers will be searching for
and where your specific expertise lies. Use the Google Keywords tool to analyze
which keywords are best worth investing in.
Don't
be afraid to play around with content and keywords over time to track how
different keywords affect your click through rates. While getting accurate data
requires a critical mass of readers and several months of data,be patient!
Looking at how people are interacting with your site and profile according to
keywords can provide you with priceless data.
Once you have honed in on keywords that you want to push, you
want to USE THEM all the time on Google+.
Google+
offers limitless opportunities to place keywords and relevant links inside the
text that you produce. On
your About page, include links to your business website or blog. You can
also link back to specific posts or pages within your website, so your readers
will quickly have access to the information that is most relevant to their
needs.
5. Use
Keywords in Your Titles
Google+
sees the first sentence of each of your posts as the Title. This title tag
ranks very highly in SEO and is a crucial place to include keywords. Use as
many keywords as you can, without taking away from readability. Writing
great first sentences will not only push your ranking; it's also the crucial
place to pull in your reader. More often than not, a reader will decide in
those first few words whether or not to keep on reading!
6. Engage
Your Audience:
This
is true for any social media platform. The larger your network and the more
involved you are, the more power your presence will have on any given platform.
During your daily 10 minutes, spend time engaging with people in your field as
well as with potential customers and clients.
Write
posts that are interesting and factual. Establish your expertise and use your
keywords and links whenever you can (without being obnoxious.)
As
you build your presence, your circles will grow and your SEO ranking will soon
follow suit.
7. Use
Google+ Events
The
Google+ Events feature is relatively new, but it's a great way to connect with
your audience. You can use Google+ Events to design custom invitations to
events both off and online. Whether inviting clients to a webinar or Google
Hangout online, or welcoming business partners to an evening out to say thank
you, Google+ Events presents another opportunity to boost your online presence
and - of course - to use your keywords, build up your network and boost your
SEO.
What are some other great bonuses of Google+ Events?
· You can
invite users whether or not they are on Google+.
· Google+
Events syncs with your (and your users') Google Calendars!
· The
"Party Mode" feature lets all the attendees instantly upload photos
into an online album of the event, via the Google+ mobile app
8. Set Up
Google Authorship for SEO Benefits
We
wrote last week about the importance of getting credit for your writing
with Google
Authorship . Google Authorship also has benefits for SEO. When
you post blogs and writing around the web and use Google Authorship, the
content will include a link straight back to your Google+ profile. Your Google+
profile picture (which, is of course already optimized for SEO) will appear
next to the content you write.
By
using Google Authorship, you can ensure that your smart, savvy writing, whether
on Google+ or elsewhere, is working boost your ranking. So remember to include
keywords in what you write, as well as links back to your website or blog.
Posts
with Google Authorship rank higher in SEO and are generally thought of as more
credible - thus resulting in higher click through rates.
9. Check
Your Circle Rank
Google+
has a feature where you can check your circle rank score. This can help you
track your growth and see how your profile compares to other Google+ profiles
in your field. The feature also allows you to track the success and virality of
specific posts.
Use
this tool regularly to monitor what's working, and where you need to make
changes.
10. Edit at
Will!
One
significant difference between Google+ and other social media platforms is that
you can edit Google+ posts at any time. If you see a post is going
viral and that you want to add in a few more keywords - you can do it! If you
start targeting new keywords, you can return to old posts and add them in. This
flexibility is a great advantage over other platforms.
Google+
is a mecca for SEO opportunities! More than any other social media platform,
Google+ offers a way to boost your ranking and give your visibility a huge
push. If you want to use social media to find clients - and help them find you
and your page - the 10 minutes a day on Google+ will quickly pay off.
QUESTIONS:
· Have
you had success with a Google+ Hangout? How many people came? What worked? What
didn't?
· Has a
client or customer recently found you through Google+ ? Tell us about it!
By Kimgarst
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