You need a plumber, what do you do? Chances are these days you do one or both of 2 things…Google plumbers in your area or put a post up on your preferred social network asking for recommendations
Local Search
Google+ is important for local as well as bigger businesses since it enables them to gain improve their standing in local search results with Google+ Local pages. As a local business, you can also use these pages to inject useful information into search results such as your location, operating hours and contact details. Even more important, reviews also appear on Google giving searchers instant feedback on your business.
If the search is being done on a mobile, the local listings appear directly under the paid listings as Google knows a lot of mobile users are looking local.
If your pages come up higher in the search engines results, you increase the chances of them being clicked on. Google+ pages are also web pages in their own right and they are linked back to your site through your Google+page (if you have verified your site). Since Google has already verified your G+ page as well as your website, content on your Google+ page gets a rankings boost for relevant searches and over time this can have an impact on your website as well.
Social Search with Google
Furthermore, if someone is in your circles (G+ contacts essentially) and does a search relevant to your business, your pages will be given a higher weighting over that of someone not in their circles as well as have an impact on our overall search ranking as you increase followers (in G+ r other social networks).
This Infogram from Quick Sprout, How Social Signals Impact Search Engine Rankings, includes a case study on how an additional 100 followers to a business pages increased its overall search rankings by 14.63%
Google+ is a powerful platform which many businesses are not yet fully exploiting. Not only is it an incredibly versatile social network, it is tool for improving, expanding and enhancing existing relationships and connections.
Get to Grips with Google+ on March 19th. 9.30 – 12 noon.
For a great introduction, navigational tour and tips on using it for marketing effectively this 2 hour workshop at the Red Lion, Hatfield, Herts is ideal.
Priced at just £35 to make it accessible to SME’s who can really utilise the platform wisely it is a great investment.
For details and to book visit the Eventbrite page