>Google+ Facebook and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

>Since 2010 Facebook has been the #1 referrer on the Internet with more daily users than Google.  Twitter and Myspace have sat on the sideline for the most part as Facebook widened the gap while Google quietly recruited Gmail users to setup Google Profiles.  In 2007 InternetBuilderConsulting.com setup our first Google Profile and began setting up Google Profile pages for customers as part of our Social Marketing packages.

It was clear there was a reason for Google Profiles outside of just having a small page of information hosted on Google.  The Google Profiles were updated this year with a very ‘Facebook’ looking format showing a profile photo top left and a similar layout.  Recently Google began offering Gmail and Google Profile users Google+ and the +1 button to ‘rank’ websites and webpages.  Before getting into Google+ and the +1 button I will cover why it is important to use these and how they will impact Search Engine Rankings.

Google is the # 1 Search Engine yet Facebook has taken a significant amount of traffic away through the built-in search using Microsoft Bing.com to power search results.  Social Marketing is a critical requirement of any effective Search Engine Optimization campaign with Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace and other social networking pages typically showing up in the Top 10 search results on Page 1 of any search engine. 

Search Google for Builder Consulting and several of the Top 10 search results are social networking pages setup to market and promote the business.  Google, Yahoo and Bing publicize the inclusion of social networking links to websites as part of the  algorithm used to determine how high or low to rank websites.  This means that links FROM social networks to websites increase the ranking of the websites when done properly. 

Google already ranks websites higher due to links from Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other social networks.  Now that Google has their own Google+ and +1 options the websites that are listed, linked and +1 the most often will receive higher placement on the Google search engine.  This is already in process if you are using Google+ since any website that someone within your ‘Circles’ has recommended will already show up with their photo and information directly below the website listing in search results. 

Now that it is clear Google+ and the new +1 feature will affect website rankings we can look at what Google+ and the +1 features are.  Google+ is basically Google’s version of Facebook with the following main features:

• Online profile with a description, contact information, places lived, work details and links
• Photos & Photo Albums(integrated with Picassa) 
• Circles (Groups of Friends and contacts similar to Facebook friends)
• Stream is the same as a News Feed or Recent News on Facebook showing you updates from the people you have added to your Circles
• Hangouts (online meetings using video and chat)
• Sparks (feeds and updates by interest such as sports, autos, movies, etc.)

Join Google+ by invitation only at this time or you can visit the website at  www.Plus.Google.com and request to join.  To join Google+ you should setup a Gmail account since Gmail accounts are receiving premium VIP admission to the system at this time. 

Once you sign up for a Google+ account you can start customizing your profile, adding links, contact information and begin connecting with others. 

What you place on your profile is completely up to you as long as you remember that the LINKS area should include any/all of your websites, Blog’s and associates you would like to promote online.  

Once the basic profile has been setup you can start working on your ‘Circles’.  A Circle on Google+ is unique to all social networks since Google permits anyone to add anyone else to their Circles without permission.  Adding someone such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs will permit you to view what they are sharing publicly.  It does not put your information on their Stream unless they choose to add you to their Circles.  Other social networks require the people you connect with to confirm and permit you to connect while Google has set Circles up with a much wider reach.  

When setting up Circles you can define ANY type of Circle you want and name it anything you want such as Friends, Customers, Prospects, Family permitting you to organize your contacts into logical groups.  Once Circles are setup you can search for and add ANYONE using Google+ to any of your Circles and follow anything that contact choose to share publicly.  If you would like to BLOCK specific contacts from viewing your content or information there is a default Circle for BLOCKED you may add them to which makes you invisible to anyone in that Circle. 

Once the profile, links and circles are setup your ready to start using Google+ and learning how it works as Google continues to develop new features.

Questions, comments or if you would like an expert consultation on Websites, SEO and Social Marketing  be sure to contact us www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com or 816-842-7774

Robert ‘Dot Com’ Jackson

Internet & Technology Expert
Internet Builder Consulting – Building BETTER Websites, SEO & Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

    

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