Google Plus for Business is HERE!

posted by 425media on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 17:40

Should your business be listed on Google Plus? Short answer is yes. Long answer is YEEESSSSS.

How to get your business set up on Google PlusWhat is Google Plus? Google Plus is Google's answer to Facebook. It is a social networking site tightly integrated into other Google properties. Why do we need another social media website?? The same reason there are different flavors of ice cream. After using it for some time, it actually is very well put together. Google is really focusing on Google Plus, you can tell this because they have tasked one of their top men, Vic Gundotra, to push this project. Google has an uphill battle right now, Facebook is pretty entrenched. So, that being said, WHY DO YOU NEED YOUR BUSINESS on GOOGLE PLUS?

Because it is tied to the world's most prominent search engine, Google Search. Having you business indexed and available for people to "+1" your site is a very good thing. Plus, there are actually millions of people on Google Plus right now. It is ramping up slowly, but it IS ramping up.

So HOW DO YOU PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON GOOGLE PLUS? Here ya go:

The first thing you need to do is create your own personal Google Plus account. The reason why you need a personal account is that Google links the your personal account (without others knowing) to the Business Page. They do this so that they can be sure someone is responsible for the page. Head to http://plus.google.com to get started.

So once you have your page set up scroll to the bottom of the page and you will notice a small link labeled “Create a Page”. Click it.

 

 

Currently there are 5 different Catagories for Google Business Page:

  1. Local Business  or Place
  2. Product or Brand
  3. Company, Institution or Organization
  4. Arts, Entertainment or Sports
  5. Other.

I am adding an actual business with an actual address. So I selected “Local Business or Place”.  Enter the phone number of your business.

  • After you enter your number, your business should appear. If it doesn’t, your business is not most likely not listed in Google Places. (go do this before you get on Google Plus). So now I am going to assume you are listed in Google Places and your business is being shown on the current page.
  • Select your business.
  • Pick a category
  • Keep the defaults which will make this page visible to any Google Plus User. Check the box that agree’s to Google’s arrangements and hit the CREATE button.
  • Change your profile picture by clicking on the box. Very important to put SOMETHING in this photo space.  It shows that you are active or have been active on Google Plus.
  • Click continue to upload the picture (once you have added the photo).
  • You now have the option to tell everyone on your PERSONAL profile about your business. Write something if you wish and click on the <share on Google+>

Afer you have completed the above steps, you need to know HOW TO USE GOOGLE PLUS TO INCREASE YOUR BUSINESS. (this will be our next write up)