People Are Actually Using Google Plus?
It’s really hard to feel sorry for Google, considering they have the dominant share of all internet search traffic, video viewing, and free email accounts. Yet continued efforts to get people to network on any Google product seems to consistently be met with failure.
A few months ago, Google changed their TOS and algorithms for their search engine. In effect, the changes meant that you would rank higher on Google if you:
- Had a Google Plus page
- Posted content to your page on a regular basis
- Had growth in your “circles”
So when I read an article like the one today on eMarketer, I’m not surprised at how many brands have rushed to beef up their social presence on Google Plus for no reason other than improved SEO.
Oh, you mean we have to pay attention to Google Plus now?
Keep in mind that Google is in the middle of an antitrust lawsuit, where the plaintiffs both claim that Google is using its search product to force people to use its social product. This, in their view, is abuse of monopoly positioning. We’ll see what the court says.
In the meantime, I get asked: should my business have a Google Plus page?
My answer: it doesn’t hurt to do so, but it’s one more social network you need to be prepared to water and grow. Just as with any social media presence, you can never just set your page and then let it get dusty. Your presence on any social media site requires a strategic purpose and a plan for engagement.