Google+ Brand Pages

What is Google+ Brand Pages?

 

Google+ is a hot topic.  It is estimated that over 20 million visitors have already viewed the site, with more than half of these people creating accounts.  Popular consensus would say that Google+ is pretty much like Facebook without the Farmville.  But with so much traffic,  businesses are already seeking opportunities to create their own Google+ Brand pages.

What is Google+ Brand Pages?

Though Google+ brand pages will not be ready until this fall and no one knows exactly what it will be like, conventional wisdom dictates that it will be the Google+ answer to Facebook’s Fan Pages.  While details of the Google+ brand pages are uncertain, it does appear that they are trying to differentiate themselves from Facebook by creating ‘Circles’ that allow users to divide the people you know into groups and share individually targeted content.  This strategy may allow businesses to have both friends and family in one circle, business associates in another, existing customers in a third circle and potential customers in a fourth.  Rumor has it that Google+ brand pages may even allow you to create posts from one main page that will only be seen by specific demographics.  For example, if you have  a product for women only, then you can create posts that would be viewed by women only.  This scenario is not possible on Facebook right now and could give Google+ a competitive advantage.

Will Google+ Brand Pages Be Good or Bad for Consumers?

How will this type of detailed, specific, and targeted marketing affect users of Google+?  Some will say that giving advertisers access to this much information about potential customers ranges from downright creepy to Orwellian.  And many consumers will be put off and offended by retailers and business knowing so much about their personal buying habits.  However, others say that Google+ brand pages may actually give consumers advertisements on products they really need or white and eliminate all the annoying white noise of generic advertising.  While it may be annoying for a customer to be targeted by a specific product, receiving an online ‘buy one get one free’ coupon for that product may be a financial benefit for the customer.

Tips on Preparing for Google+ Brand Pages

If you are a business owner anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Google+ brand pages and you are wondering what you can do in the meantime to prepare, then here are 5 tips on how to start creating your Google+ brand pages marketing roadmap, as provided by Ron Schott, a social media expert and the Senior Social Media Strategist responsible for Social CRM + Campaigns at Spring Creek Group:

1. Do Your Community Research

If you have a list of key brand influencers, check to see if they’re already active on Google+. You don’t want to spend time and money focusing on a platform if your key influencers aren’t there. That’s like walking into a crowd and screaming your message, hoping some of the people you want to hear it are there.

2. Use it Yourself

You’d be surprised by the number of marketing professionals who spend time around conference tables pontificating and strategizing about “social ROI,” “engagement strategy,” and “social sharing” who don’t actually participate in social media. Don’t be one of those people. Immerse yourself in the Google+ community and learn the nuances that make it different than other networks.

3. Create Your Community Strategy

Before you begin marketing to Google+ users, you need to put a solid community strategy in place. Build a plan that answers the following questions before reaching out to them on the platform:

    • What are the potential ways to communicate in this channel? (Posts, promotions, paid ads, contests, updates, and other content)
    • How is this channel different than our other social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter?
    • What are target audiences looking for from this channel? Are they like Facebook users, of do they come to Google+ to interact about different topics than they do on Facebook?

4. Decide on Success Metrics

Figure out what you can measure on Google+ to determine success for your marketing or brand engagement goals. Make a list of all the metrics you can measure (e.g., number of fans, clicks, comments, shares).

No one knows whether Google+ will offer a paid ad program, but chances are they will, and those ads will come with their own measurement metrics. But for now, figure out what you can measure from the get-go.

5. Develop a Rollout Plan

When the gates open and brands are allowed on Google+, there will undoubtedly be a flood of content hitting users who will have just gotten used to using the new network for their personal relationships. Create a phased content rollout plan to ensure you don’t bombard your targets with unwanted messages. Start slowly, and tweak content based on reactions.

Don’t forget to use your existing social media platforms to tell your communities about your new Google+ presence. Try something like: “Are you using Google+? We just joined! Come connect with us there for (add distinct information that will be shared on the channel).” http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2096363/Google-Strategy-5-Tips-to-Help-Marketers-Get-Ready-for-Brand-Pages

In summary, while no one truly knows or is able to predict what the actual Google+ brand pages will look, function, or how it will work, you can still create a game plan for utilizing yet another tool for social media marketing.