People ask me all the time if they or their business should be on Google+. I am going to talk about businesses today and leave my thoughts about Google+ for individuals alone today. The answer is simple. If you want to be found on the Google Search Engine, you better be on Google+. Here are a few reasons why…

Google Likes People Who Like Google

Charles Dickens once wrote, “There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” Our friends are among the closest people to us. Google feels the same way. If you learn to love Google+, embrace it and use it religiously, Google will reward you. So any business that expects to rank in Google Search, must have a Google+ presence. 

SearchMetrics, an international, industry-leading SEO company, lists the Google +1 as the single most important factor in ranking on Google Search. So adopt Google+ and rack up those +1’s. The reward with be great – far greater than Charles Dickens’ chocolate bar.

Use Google+ for a Fancy Google Presence

Google automatically creates a Google Place for businesses that have addresses. If you have not claimed yours yet, you absolutely need to do that immediately. What this will do is create a more impressive search results page when someone Google’s your name. It will include pictures, reviews, better links to sections of your website and more. This is the first SEO task any digital marketer should perform for your business.

What is a Google+ Circle? Google’s Answer to Segmentation

You have friends, family members, vendors, employees, prospects, clients and more. Typically the message you want to share which each of these groups is different. Circles make it easy to share the right messaging with the right people. So when starting your Google+ presence, setup a whole bunch of circles, they will be of great use to you as your following grows.

What is a Google+ Hangout? Google’s Answer to chat.

Another cool feature of Google+ is their Hangouts. They really have taken chats, instant messaging and video chat to a new level. Use it personally, within the office or as a great way to communicate with clients. If you use it to communicate with clients or prospects, it is a great way of bringing those people into your circles.

What are Google+ Communities? Google’s Answer to groups.

Google+ Communities are pretty cool. They are similar to Facebook or LinkedIn groups. They basically are a way to bring people together. They allow conversation with photographs, video, rich content and even face-to-face conversation if you bring in a Hangout. There are communities for everyone. No matter what your interest, common or peculiar, there is one for you. Join a few and get involved. It can help your business. And guess what, for most communities, the content is indexed by Google Search. Are you understanding the importance of Google+ yet?

Google+ is an amazing place to be. In fact, one of the first things we do for every client who signs on with Boxless Media, is start a Google+ presence. Our advice to you, as a social media manager or enthusiast is to get involved. It is definitely worth it. We are always looking for unique communities to get involved with. Are you involved with one? Share it with us… The best community submission will win a special prize from Boxless. Tweet them to @BoxlessMedia.