Google Plus Pages – Ghost Town or Boom Town for Your Practice

Are you on board with Google Plus Pages yet?  If not, grab your stake… Perhaps you are thinking “Not another social platform to manage! My team barely has time to keep up with Facebook”.  Or you may be thinking, “Why set up shop there, it’s a ghost town”.  Remember that Google is still the king of search.  Google Pages will become another valuable piece of online real estate for you. I’ve touted how important multiple pieces of online real estate are, and so does Google.  Check out this awesome free ebook, Zero Moment of Truth, from Google themselves and learn how online research and purchase/decision making has changed.

If search and being found on Google matters to you, then Google Plus Pages should matter to you. Will Google reach Facebook’s popularity as a social platform?  In my opinion, no—at least not at this point.  Too many people have made Facebook their social “home” filled with friends, photos, and memories. Plus in some cases baby boomers got dragged kicking and screaming to Facebook—they aren’t going anywhere.

So where do you begin with Google Plus?

1. Set up your Google Plus Business Page.
2. Populate your practice information and upload a profile photo.
3. Enter a status update or two.
4. Plan to check in occasionally to update any followers, and keep yourself informed about changes and upgrades.

At this time don’t worry about implementing a posting schedule to match your Facebook efforts.  In the coming weeks and months we should know more about how Plus Page updates will play a part in Google’s grand search plan.  If you have ever invested money for search engine optimization, joining Google Plus Pages is a no brainer, and could potentially return similar benefits—getting found on Google.

So is Google Plus a ghost town or boom town?  From a networking and “social” standpoint for practices at this point, it is a bit of a ghost town (at least at the time of this writing).  However from a search standpoint—being found on the number one search engine in the US and the UK—it could be a hugely powerful potential boom town. A benefit you could reap with the initial investment of thirty minutes of your time to get set up and familiarize yourself enough.  Here is a list of top resources to help you get set up and familiar with Google Plus Pages.

Remember the key to online marketing today is multiple pieces of online real estate.  Will your practice stake a claim on Google Plus Pages? If search and being found matters to you, I hope to see you there!

P.S. Facebook is still Number #1 for social networking in the US, UK and Canada—and still my top recommendation for practice’s social marketing. Looking to boost your Facebook Marketing efforts? Check out my on-demand webinars for help.