Why You Should Have A Google+ Branded Business Page

What Does A Google+ Branded Business Page Mean For Your Business?

Ever since Google unveiled Google+ as its counter to Facebook, business owners worldwide have been buzzing about what it means for them. Every time Google makes design changes to their platform, the buzz starts again.

Do I need a business page on Google+? What should I do? What can this mean to my business?

When Google added business pages, they reinforced the reality that that they are serious about building a huge social media network. 

I have been doing some exploring of my own, and one thing is clear: Google for businesses now means much more than search engine optimization and places! There's a whole lot to discover, but with the opportunity to create a real Google business page through Google+ comes a lot of new techniques for connecting with our clients and prospects.

What's up with the Google pages for businesses? Let's talk about that…  

A Google Business Page Means New Opportunities To Connect

The idea behind the Google business page is that it acts a lot like business pages already found on Facebook. It's a place for you to explain what your business is all about. You can talk about what you do and how you do it. You can talk about your local area, and how your local business enriches that area. I like to think of your Google business page (and Facebook page, et cetera) as a little mini-website. Condense the most important stuff from your regular website, and that's exactly what you should be posting on your Google business page.  

When you connect to Google for businesses and create your first page, you gain access to the entire network of people currently using Google+. When you consider how many users Google+ has after only a few months, and how it's continued to grow since then, that's a huge number of potential new customers! In all likelihood, many of them haven't heard of your business before, and at least a few of them will be using Google for businesses to find a company that does exactly what you do. When you create your Google business page, you'll be able to reach these people and start a conversation with them.

Why Can't I Just Stick With My Current Facebook Business Page?

It's certainly tempting not to bother with a Google business page when you already have one on Facebook. Who has time to set up a duplicate, right? Well, they're not really duplicates – trust me, you need and want to have both. Having a Google business page introduces a new way to connect with your potential client base: a 10 person video chat option called “Hangouts.” Although 10 people doesn't seem like much, if you're able to record a stream and broadcast it later, or arrange a larger chat if needed (although that requires working directly with Google, at least for the moment) it can be a pretty powerful tool. There are plans to expand this feature of Google for businesses in the future, so stay tuned!

In addition, Google for businesses gives you the opportunity to connect with new users and entire groups of people who might not otherwise have found you. Not everyone who uses Google for businesses is going to use to use Facebook as well. By having a presence on both, you're available to the widest possible audience – and that can only be a good thing!

In time, we'll learn more about how to use Google for businesses. Google will keep adding features and evolving to meet the specific needs of businesses, so stay tuned for my tips on how to make the most of your Google business page!

About Author

Kim Garst

Kim Garst is a renowned marketing strategist and speaker who is trailblazing the use of artificial intelligence in digital marketing. With over 30 years of experience as an online entrepreneur, Kim helps entrepreneurs grow their business and authority online by using AI technology. She is leading the way with proven AI frameworks that help entrepreneurs build authority in their space.

She is keynote speaker and an international best-selling author of Will The Real You Please Stand Up, Show Up, Be Authentic and Prosper in Social Media.

Named by Forbes as a Top 10 Social Media Power Influencer, Kim is well-known for her skill to simplify complex technology and make the use of AI understandable for business growth. Her relatable, actionable advice helps guide new entrepreneurs to harness the power of AI to succeed in digital marketing. Kim is leading the way in combining human and technological skills to create a new model for AI-powered marketing.

See author's posts