Social Media

Earlier this week, Google launched the business component to their Google Plus social network: Google+ Business.

All of us here at JSN were pretty excited to hear the news.  We’ve been anxious to get more involved with Google+ but our work depends upon community engagement for business.  Needless to say, we’ve been waiting patiently to learn how our clients will have the opportunity to utilize Google social networking.  Here’s our take on the new social engagement tool.

Google + Logos

First of all, how sweet is this? When I type + in the Google search bar, I can see select company logos now.

Google search featuring business logos

I might be getting ahead of myself, but this is one of the advantages that businesses have when they add a business page to the Google+ directory.  Google+ Direct Connect is only available to select businesses and brands currently.  Your eligibility depends upon if Google views your website.  You’ll need to Link your Google Page and Website in order to qualify.

What does a Google+ Business page look like?

Although many business users may be thinking “oh great, one more social network to manage,” you may be pleasantly surprised to see the minimalist format that Google has implemented.  In my opinion, there are a few key advantages to what the Facebook Business Page provides.

The Plusses! (pun intended)

• Google+ Business Photo Stream at the top of the page allows fixed photos.  This issue is constantly brought to my attention by clients. Most companies want control over what’s consistently shown in the photostream at the top of their page.  Facebook currently update the stream with recent photo uploads. There’s an option to delete those photos you don’t want in the stream one by one, but that just seems like an unnecessary extra step.  Google allows us to select 5 photos that will show at the top of the page as long as we would like them to.  The photos don’t rotate, so there’s more flexibility for creativity here as well.  Some companies are already starting to use this space as one large photo in five segments.

• Categorize your Business Community!  This is a big advantage.  All types of people join a business page – passive customers, high-end clients, team members, family / friends, and so on. You might prefer to separate your customers depending on which city or state they live in. If someone wanted to run a special promotion for  a select group of customers located in a particular city, Google+ makes it easy to do so.  If I want to run a friends and family sale or test out a new product on a select group, I can manage that here.

• Drag and Drop Photo Galleries. I didn’t realize how cumbersome Facebook’s photo upload system was until I dragged 20 huge photos into Google+, and it uploaded them in a matter of seconds.  Huge upgrade!

• More Business Info: Google+ for Business allows us to fill the business information tab with pretty much any information we would like to.  This includes links.  If you have a list of services, you can link to each service area separately. The format also allows for bulleted and numbered lists and basic formatting.  Excellent.

Room for Improvement?

• Multiple Admins: I’m not seeing an option to add administrators to a Google Business Page.  Businesses may want to set their page up on an account that multiple people can have access to.  Facebook allows for multiple user accounts to be connected to one page.  Until Google implements the same, all network updating will fall on the shoulders of one person. Either that, or the page may be connected to a dummy gmail account for everyone to access.

• Vanity URL:  Any page with 25 fans or more is eligible for a vanity URL on Facebook.  Google+ Business is currently only offering a link like this one: https://plus.google.com/106070721487752977912.  Seriously?  Who is going to remember this?  Maybe it’s just one more way to encourage searching, but I think vanity URLs are a welcome addition.

Set up a Google+ Page for Business

• Start with a Google+ Profile: You’ll need a personal Google+ account first.  Google+ Business does not currently support multiple admins.  If you have a general gmail account for business, you may want to set up your page there so more than one person can post updates on your page.

• Set up a Page: Within your Google+ profile, look for the “create a Google+ page” button.  Click and start the process to set up your business name, website, add a logo, etc.

• Customize: Once you have your basic page set up, you can edit your profile, add photos, business information, etc.  To do so, click on the profile button and then “edit profile.” See below.

Tip: Toggle between profile and page in Google+ Pages

• Click on the big Google+ logo in the upper right to get back to your home view.
• Find your icon in the upper right and it will say +1 page or however many pages you have. Click on that to toggle between your profile and pages.

Tip: Can I Change My Google+ Business Page Name

Facebook allows for users to change their name up to 100 fans.  I’m not sure at this point if there’s a cap for Google, but the profile edits do allow for page name changes.

• Click on the profile button
• Click on edit profile
• Click on the title of your page, and an edit box will appear.

Note:  Sometimes it takes a few minutes for the new name to change in the post feed, next to the icon and above the page but it will happen.

Google+ Business Page Design Inspiration

Check out some of these pages for design inspiration.

• Does your page belong on this list? Let us know.
• What are your favorite Google+ Pages?  We’re all about setting the design bar high, and we want to see the best of the best out there.