Full disclosure: I’m nowhere close to being a Google+ expert. In fact, I was gathering helpful articles for my own personal reference when I realized, maybe there are others in the same boat? Hence, today, we depart from our traditional Week in Content Marketing roundup to focus on Google+.
Google+ has been popping up all over Twitter and my favorite marketing blogs. The sentence “Marketers can no longer ignore Google+” follows me through my day, so much so that I worry a massive “+” will appear in my dreams and chase me through social streets crowded with circles of people, where everyone is engaging except for me.
Scary, right?
I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to really dive into the details and figure out the best ways to use Google+. And today, dear content marketers, that day has dawned.
But we all need a little help, and thankfully for the content marketing revolution, there are lots of great resources out there on this topic. So for all you Google+ beginners in the same boat as me, here are the articles and posts I’ve found most useful in my quest to be a Google+ rockstar.
Why You Should Care About Google Plus
As always, Brian Clark of Copyblogger gives it to us straight: Get Over Yourself and Get On Google+. If you’re not yet convinced, or need to convince someone else that investing time in Google+ is a worthwhile endeavor, read this article. It also links to additional how-to Google+ posts, as well as persuasive stats such as Google+ has surpassed Twitter and become the second largest social network in terms of users. Via Copyblogger
What are the business benefits of being on Google+? Here are 5 pretty darn awesome ones, including a list of helpful tools to use once you get going. From claiming authorship to search rank, the benefits are hard to brush off and, as we all know, “marketers can no longer ignore Google+.” Via Binkd
“Give me one good reason.” If someone happens to throw this cliche in your direction while in the midst of explaining why being active on Google+ is important, you can now respond with, “Here are seven.” Boom. Via Social Media Today
How to Do It…and Do It Well
Huge thanks to Jason Long for sending us this post via Guy Kawasaki via Twitter. Isn’t social media the best? Anyway, Martin Shervington wrote a great all-inclusive guide to Google Plus pages for business and brands. It includes videos, step by step tutorials, management tips, and strategies for getting the most out of your page. Via Martin Shervington
A roundup within a roundup. Now we’re getting crazy! Search Engine Journal put together a wonderful post featuring a series of posts by Jim Hedger and Bria Jordan of Digital Always Media. They walk you through every aspect of Google+ starting with Circles and ending with Ripples, which is the name of a local frozen yogurt shop so I’m already excited about the possibilities. Each post is concise and clear, covering where to find a specific element, how to use it, and why it matters. Definitely a post worth bookmarking. Via Search Engine Journal
Here’s a quick, informative article on how to actually write for the Google+ audience. It goes through formatting, length, keywords and circle management, all things that differ on Google+ from some of the other networks. All good points to keep in mind, and a great article to revisit once you have your Google+ page up and running. Via Windmill Networking
It’s always helpful to learn by example, and Content Marketing Institue shared best practices for using Google+ alongside examples of businesses already implementing them effectively. Explore their pages, dig around in their strategies. It’s amazing what you can learn by participating as a consumer. Via Content Marketing Institute
Okay, I know I already mentioned Copyblogger, but here’s another article you need to read, which includes a pretty great infographic on “64 Google+ Content Strategies.” Just read through them, try not to get overwhelmed with the scale of possibilites, then start to tackle them…one by one. Via Copyblogger
Want more?
If your hunger for Google+ knowledge is not yet satisfied, here are three additional posts worth checking out:
- 10 Dead Simple Tips to Take Advantage of Google+ for SEO Via SEOmoz
- What Can Google+ Do for Enterprise Marketers? Via Kwanzoo
- Claim Google Authorship for Your WordPress Website in 3 Easy Steps Via Copyblogger
- How and Why to Schedule Google+ Posts Via Social Media Today
Hopefully, this is a helpful resource to refer to as you dive into the wonderful world of Google+. But from one non-expert to another, my best learning experiences have come from follow each of these pros on G+ and see how they’re doing it. After engaging as a content consumer, it will be much easier to approach it as a content marketer.
Did I miss anything? Share your favorite articles about Google+ in the comments below. Or better yet, start a Google+ page and share them there. Enjoy your weekend! I hope it’s packed with pluses.