Google Plus For Business - Part 2 - Why Your Business Should Be On Google Plus

Even though it might appear to outsiders that Google Plus may not be worth their time or effort, nothing could be further from the truth. Although Google Plus started off with early adopters such as “techies” and photographers, the public at large is beginning to catch on. The social network has 343 million active users as of April 2013, certainly not insignificant and still growing. As your customers sign on over time- eventually everyone with a Google account will automatically be on Google Plus - you can be learning valuable lessons about its usage and seeing some benefits already. If you are still not convinced here are a few compelling reasons to set up a Google Plus Page for Brands.

 

1 - Power Up Your Search Engine Results

Google is the single most powerful search engine site ever. They turned the word “Google” into verb. Google has virtually no competition and with the immense power and influence they wield, businesses with Google Plus Pages have seen a dramatic rise in their search engine exposure, leading to higher results listings.

 

2 - Google Circles

The Circles feature on Google provides a powerful tool for targeted marketing messaging. A business can place their customer contacts into one or more “Circles” after they have added the company. The business can then target certain segments of their customer base with a targeted message just for them. For example, a 20% off promotion just for the top customers. Individuals need to add a company to their Circles first, but then the company can place the individual in whatever Circles they want without the individual’s knowledge.

 

3 - Google Hangouts

Hangouts is the video chat function of Google Plus, where a chat can be held with up to 10 participants at a time. A business can host video chats for their customers to talk with experts in their industry, have question and answer sessions, or show off new products. Complete webinars can be created around this feature.

Now, when Google Plus is growing, but not crowded like other social networks, is the best time for a business to learn the ropes. Interact with other companies, whether in their industry or not, and learn from them. In time, Google Plus will have a membership to rival Facebook and Twitter, better for your company sooner rather than later. In the next part of this series, we will look at some techniques for using Google Plus for business.

Written and produced in beautiful Naples, Florida by OnFast.com. Visit OnFast.com today to get your free trial subscription to our Social Media Marketing Service.

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com

Google Plus For Business - Part 2 - Why Your Business Should Be On Google Plus

Even though it might appear to outsiders that Google Plus may not be worth their time or effort, nothing could be further from the truth. Although Google Plus started off with early adopters such as “techies” and photographers, the public at large is beginning to catch on. The social network has 343 million active users as of April 2013, certainly not insignificant and still growing. As your customers sign on over time- eventually everyone with a Google account will automatically be on Google Plus - you can be learning valuable lessons about its usage and seeing some benefits already. If you are still not convinced here are a few compelling reasons to set up a Google Plus Page for Brands.

 

1 - Power Up Your Search Engine Results

Google is the single most powerful search engine site ever. They turned the word “Google” into verb. Google has virtually no competition and with the immense power and influence they wield, businesses with Google Plus Pages have seen a dramatic rise in their search engine exposure, leading to higher results listings.

 

2 - Google Circles

The Circles feature on Google provides a powerful tool for targeted marketing messaging. A business can place their customer contacts into one or more “Circles” after they have added the company. The business can then target certain segments of their customer base with a targeted message just for them. For example, a 20% off promotion just for the top customers. Individuals need to add a company to their Circles first, but then the company can place the individual in whatever Circles they want without the individual’s knowledge.

 

3 - Google Hangouts

Hangouts is the video chat function of Google Plus, where a chat can be held with up to 10 participants at a time. A business can host video chats for their customers to talk with experts in their industry, have question and answer sessions, or show off new products. Complete webinars can be created around this feature.

Now, when Google Plus is growing, but not crowded like other social networks, is the best time for a business to learn the ropes. Interact with other companies, whether in their industry or not, and learn from them. In time, Google Plus will have a membership to rival Facebook and Twitter, better for your company sooner rather than later. In the next part of this series, we will look at some techniques for using Google Plus for business.

Written and produced in beautiful Naples, Florida by OnFast.com. Visit OnFast.com today to get your free trial subscription to our Social Media Marketing Service.

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com

Google Plus For Business - Part 1 - What Is Google Plus?

Google Plus, or Google as it is called, is basically Google’s social media answer to Facebook and Twitter. Google’s idea for Plus is to combine several services from sites that are popular with users already and improve on them. Google Plus can be broken down into these parts:

Google Circles -
Circles are friends or acquaintances that you group together based on topics such as Family, Friends, Roommates, School, College or Military Buddies etc. The different circles help determine who you want to share information with, allowing for more targeted postings. On the Circles page, contacts may be dropped into particular groups where they will only see information shared with the group or “Circle” you assigned them to.

Sparks -
Sparks are your various interests organized by topic into their own “Spark” page. The page acts as a gathering point for links to photos, videos and articles brought automatically to you based on the topic.

Hangouts -
Hangouts are “Circles” for video chatting with people within the particular group. Up to ten people at a time can be involved in the video chat.

Social Media News For The Week Of 5/3/13

Americans Addicted to Social Media

A survey released by the consumer and business credit reporting company, Experian, states that Americans are spending more of the online time on social media than anywhere else on the internet. According to the study, Americans are on social sites for 16 minutes of every hour spent on line. After social media is entertainment websites at 9 minutes per online hour and online shopping at 5 minutes. Americans also lead the world in social media usage, with users in the U.K. at 13 minutes and Australia at 14 minutes on average. Full Story Here:


How to recognize the risks social media pose to your company

As business use of social media has risen, some level of risk with this usage has become clearly apparent to most companies. The management of company reputation, potential release of confidential information, and the danger of employees speaking on behalf of the business are just a few of the risks encountered by companies on social media. The key to minimizing these, and any other risks, is for businesses to have a clearly developed social media strategy along with solid employee use policies. Full Story Here:


Social Media and Web 2.0: Tech that makes a Difference

The combination of social media networks and the technological advances of Web 2.0 are making a fundamentally positive influence on business at large. A report by the analytical firm, Gartner, found developments in these two areas have had a profound impact across all industries. This has brought about positive change to businesses of all sizes. Full Story Here:


Celent Survey Shows Social Media Increases Traction in Insurance Industry

Use of social media by the insurance industry has gained a strong footing in North America, according to a study by Celent and Locke Lord, LLP. The report found that 80 percent of insurers are currently using social media in their conduction of business. Of the 20 percent who are not, 45 percent plan on implementing social during the course of the next year. Full Story Here:

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com

Social Media News For The Week Of 5/3/13

Americans Addicted to Social Media

A survey released by the consumer and business credit reporting company, Experian, states that Americans are spending more of the online time on social media than anywhere else on the internet. According to the study, Americans are on social sites for 16 minutes of every hour spent on line. After social media is entertainment websites at 9 minutes per online hour and online shopping at 5 minutes. Americans also lead the world in social media usage, with users in the U.K. at 13 minutes and Australia at 14 minutes on average. Full Story Here:


How to recognize the risks social media pose to your company

As business use of social media has risen, some level of risk with this usage has become clearly apparent to most companies. The management of company reputation, potential release of confidential information, and the danger of employees speaking on behalf of the business are just a few of the risks encountered by companies on social media. The key to minimizing these, and any other risks, is for businesses to have a clearly developed social media strategy along with solid employee use policies. Full Story Here:


Social Media and Web 2.0: Tech that makes a Difference

The combination of social media networks and the technological advances of Web 2.0 are making a fundamentally positive influence on business at large. A report by the analytical firm, Gartner, found developments in these two areas have had a profound impact across all industries. This has brought about positive change to businesses of all sizes. Full Story Here:


Celent Survey Shows Social Media Increases Traction in Insurance Industry

Use of social media by the insurance industry has gained a strong footing in North America, according to a study by Celent and Locke Lord, LLP. The report found that 80 percent of insurers are currently using social media in their conduction of business. Of the 20 percent who are not, 45 percent plan on implementing social during the course of the next year. Full Story Here:

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com

Driving Restaurant Revenue With Social Media - Part 8 - Google

Google launched it’s own social network offering in June 2011. After struggling through its first 18 months, the search engine’s social media network, Google , appears to be gaining traction. As 2013 began, the network had 135 million active users. Google has unveiled a series of feature additions and upgrades, while parent Google has been unsubtly encouraging this to be the year it really takes off. 

 

Google Local

One of the feature additions of interest to restaurants was the launch of Google Local. This is a location-based tool for scores and recommendations from other Google users. This feature alone is reason enough for food and beverage establishments to set up an account, to stay abreast of and respond to what is being said about their brand. This new feature and others such as, Google Communities, are designed to make the network more useful to individuals and businesses.

 

Google Communities

Similar to Facebook and LinkedIn Groups, Google Communities is a gathering place for people with similar interests to share information about their specific passions. found via the bar on the left hand side and hosted through Google , topic Communities can be searched for and found. New Communities can be created as well. This feature provides an excellent way to keep up with food & beverage industry information and engagement with industry leaders and peers.

 

Google Circles

When Google was first launched it was only for individuals, but it soon allowed brands to set up their own business pages. The rules for pages are different from profiles most significantly in that business pages cannot “Circle” and then communicate with profiles until those individuals have chosen to circle the page. Circles on Google works in the same way as “liking” on Facebook or “following” on Twitter. This means it is vitally important for success on Google to include 1 buttons on your restaurant’s website and ask to be included in their circles. An advantage of Google for brands is the lack of an algorithm along the lines of Facebook’s Edgerank. This means anybody who has included your establishment in their circles will see everything you post.

The growth of Google is now making a presence there essential for the food and beverage industry. In addition, the search engine optimization (SEO) gains from being on Google’s social network can only prove beneficial as well.

 

Written and produced in beautiful Naples, Florida by OnFast.com. Visit OnFast.com today to get your free trial subscription to our Social Media Marketing Service.

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com

Driving Restaurant Revenue With Social Media - Part 8 - Google

Google launched it’s own social network offering in June 2011. After struggling through its first 18 months, the search engine’s social media network, Google , appears to be gaining traction. As 2013 began, the network had 135 million active users. Google has unveiled a series of feature additions and upgrades, while parent Google has been unsubtly encouraging this to be the year it really takes off. 

 

Google Local

One of the feature additions of interest to restaurants was the launch of Google Local. This is a location-based tool for scores and recommendations from other Google users. This feature alone is reason enough for food and beverage establishments to set up an account, to stay abreast of and respond to what is being said about their brand. This new feature and others such as, Google Communities, are designed to make the network more useful to individuals and businesses.

 

Google Communities

Similar to Facebook and LinkedIn Groups, Google Communities is a gathering place for people with similar interests to share information about their specific passions. found via the bar on the left hand side and hosted through Google , topic Communities can be searched for and found. New Communities can be created as well. This feature provides an excellent way to keep up with food & beverage industry information and engagement with industry leaders and peers.

 

Google Circles

When Google was first launched it was only for individuals, but it soon allowed brands to set up their own business pages. The rules for pages are different from profiles most significantly in that business pages cannot “Circle” and then communicate with profiles until those individuals have chosen to circle the page. Circles on Google works in the same way as “liking” on Facebook or “following” on Twitter. This means it is vitally important for success on Google to include 1 buttons on your restaurant’s website and ask to be included in their circles. An advantage of Google for brands is the lack of an algorithm along the lines of Facebook’s Edgerank. This means anybody who has included your establishment in their circles will see everything you post.

The growth of Google is now making a presence there essential for the food and beverage industry. In addition, the search engine optimization (SEO) gains from being on Google’s social network can only prove beneficial as well.

 

Written and produced in beautiful Naples, Florida by OnFast.com. Visit OnFast.com today to get your free trial subscription to our Social Media Marketing Service.

Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com