Google+ Launches Brand Pages, and Yes You Should Care

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Google+ brand pages, +Pages, have officially launched. The much-anticipated social product by the search engine giant promises to play a significant role in earned media marketing given its direct impact on search visibility and social engagement.

Similar to Facebook brand pages, +Pages will allow brands to create a social presence on the Google platform - a presence that will impact a brand's search rankings in addition to providing brands with another channel for direct consumer engagement.

The question some of you might be asking is this: is Google+ yet another shiny object in what seems an endless array of social platforms and channels - or, will it become a significant force within your digital marketing mix?

When it comes to the importance of Google+, there are a few key things to consider:

• Google+ is not another social network - it's creating a social data layer that will impact nearly every Google product from search to shopping.
• Google+ will enhance the relationship between search and social media, and elevate the importance of social signals in search.
• Combined with the use of +1, Google+ promises to drive greater synergy across bought, earned, and owned media.

Getting started with Google+:

• Focus on the 3Cs: content, community, and customization. Success in Google+ will be predicated on a winning content strategy, analysis-based audience management best practices, and a focus on customized engagement via Google+ Circles.
• Test and learn. Leverage real-time insights to quickly test and learn what works and what doesn't. Formalize learnings into best practices and optimized engagement strategies.
• Leverage search expertise. Google+ is as much about search as it is social media. There is every indication that social signals from +Pages will impact a brand's natural search results. Bringing to bear SEO expertise in conjunction with social media best practices will be critical to success.

What do you think about the Google+ announcement? Do you plan on launching a Google+ brand Page? You can read about more strategies in the presentation below.

Be sure to share your thoughts and perspectives about Google+!

Click to download: What Google+ Means for You