Believe it or not, Google+ is an essential part of your digital marketing plan. Most Singapore business owners see it as a knock-off version of Facebook, but this is far from the case. This particular platform has managed to creep into browsing, emailing, and article writing. You can create business pages an carry out a variety of other essential tasks online.
Also, Google+ currently has over 540 million users which means that it’s now trailing Facebook, which has 1 billion users. So it’s important the Singapore marketers use this platform to its full advantage. The good news is by focusing on a few tactics, you can use Google+ to take your Singapore business to the next level.
1. Headshot
If you want to ensure that your page is professional, then you need to use your headshot for your profile picture. There are many Singapore business owners who use pictures of their children or pets, but it’s not an ideal choice for Google+. That’s because this is the image that will show up everywhere. Remember that Google crops your image in the shape of a circular. Also, make sure that you design creates a great mobile experience. When in doubt, keep things simple.
2. High-resolution cover photos
Another important photo on your Google+ profile is the cover photo. This image will cover a great deal of real estate. It’s a good idea to create a custom cover photo, rather than using images from your last vacation. You should also avoid using the stock, default cover photo.
Make sure to use your keywords in the filename of your cover photo and add a caption. The image should be 2120 x 1192. You should share this image as a photo post. This ensures that cover photo is directly linked to your profile.
3. Vanity URL
The default URL is full of numbers. So create a Google+ vanity URL. This will make it easy to remember.
4. Circle
Your number of followers is public. So you need to work on increasing the number of people in your circle. The best part about having a lot of people in your circle is that it encourages others to follow you back and it also inspires trust and helps your reputation. Click the “Add People” feature to add more people to your circle.
5. Accessibility
If you’re using this platform as apart of your marketing plan, then you should make sure that you are accessible. Everyone should be able to view your profile. Simple visit your profile and then go to the settings. Make sure that your profile is visible.
6. Story
The good thing about the “story” section is that it enables you to include links, keywords, and information about your Singapore business. Google indexes all of this content. So make sure that you fill out everything. The more information you include, the more easily you can be found in the search results. Just avoid keyword stuffing.
The tagline should be brief and only include one line about who you are. Your introduction should include information about what you have done and where you have been. Feel free to use hyperlinked text, even though they are nofollow. Include links to your business website, personal website and other platforms on which you’re active. Use headlines and other formatting features wherever they are appropriate. Under bragging rights, include a couple of lines about your best accomplishments.
Google is great for quickly indexing shared Google+. In fact, new URLs that are shared on Google+ is typically crawled immediately. So when you share your new content, it will be indexed faster. This applies to products, pages, and articles.
8. Contributor information
Google authorship can be a great way to get exposure. So make sure that you take the time to fill in all of your information. This is especially the case when it comes to the websites that you have contributed to.
9. Be active
If you want to make sure that you have a strong presence on this platform, then you need to post regularly. Not only that, but you should add photos as this increases your engagement and visibility. Add YouTube videos to your YouTube tab. This will give you the ability to use +1s, which ensures that others can view your content. You can also create reviews to show that your account is engaged and active.
10. Getting noticed
Whenever someone is logged into Google they get notifications. If you would like to be noticed by those in your circles, make sure their notification center lights up. Simply mention them in your post, share the post directly, comment on one of their posts, comment on posts after they have commented on it, or add them to your circle. You could also suggest a few people that they can add to their circles, tag the person in your photos, tag their photos, suggest a photo for their profile. You should also consider commenting on images after they’ve commented, comment on images they’re tagged in, comment on images they tagged, start conversations with them, send invites to events, or connect with influencers.
11. Profile Tweak
When you have finished your profile, you need to look at it objectively. How would members of your circle view it? In fact, there is a feature that will allow you to see your profile from the perspective of your visitors. Simply select the “View profile as” tab. Switch between “Public” and “Yourself” and order to figure out what needs to be changed.
12. Ripples
There are very few Singapore business owners who take advantage of Google+ Ripples. However, Ripples can show you an interactive graph of shares. This is a visual representation of how your post is “rippling” throughout the Google+ community. Ripples will only display collected data that is public, so you won’t have access to the share metrics from those who have shared content in private circles.
If the post says “Shared publicly” at the very top, below the profile name, and just before the date then it’s public. If you want to view your Ripples, then select the arrow button at the very top right of your post, then select “View Ripples.” You should see the Ripples feature and how your posts are spread across throughout Google+. Check out the Support area to learn more about the Ripple feature.
Conclusion
When it comes to creating a presence online, most Singapore marketers only think about Facebook and Twitter. However, when it comes to social media marketing, Google+ is a great tool. And it’s only going to get more popular. Just as businesses develop their Twitter and Facebook accounts, they should also spend time on their Google+ presence.
