GOOGLE+ IS ROCKET FUEL

In a nutshell, Google+ is your big IN with search engine traffic.  Google+ Profiles & Pages are very similar to Facebook Profiles & Pages except for one tiny thing:
Google+ Pages are crawled instantly and will show up at the top of any relevant Google searches  
If you use the Google+ Profile & Page on the same account as your YouTube channel then it creates a one-two punch to the top of Google rankings for your YouTube channel as well.
YouTube is a great vehicle, but when you add the Google+ Profile & Page to it, it’s like rocket fuel.
Don’t use YouTube?  Doesn’t matter.
If you want to be at the top of Google search results, use Google+!

CHOOSE YOUR G+ PLATFORM PROPERLY

The difference between a Google+ Profile and a Google+ Page are much the same as Facebook.
The Google+ Profile is usually of a more personal nature whereas the Google+ Page is for a brand/business.
Google-Plus-LogoThe Google+ Page offers analytics just like the Facebook Page does.  Using a Google+ Page for your brand provides you with a way of getting information fed directly into Google (creating the ultimate search engine optimization – unless you’re pulling titles out of your ass an not using appropriate keywords) and tells us a wealth of demographic information about fans including age, sex, location, how often they visit, how engaged they are in content, what content they like, and what brings them in.  As you can guess, this is important information to use as you grow your audience.

G+ BEST PRACTICES

#1: Follow the Formula

Format your posts properly:
  • Post titles should be no more than 40 characters long and use asterisks at each end to make them bold.
  • Begin your post with a short, 159 character summary so people will see the whole thing without having to click Read More.
  • Include a link to the destination post if you’re using an image or video.  (Images pull BIG traffic on Google+.)
  • Add personal insight to create a connection with the reader. Ask a question or include a call to action to help boost your engagement.
  • Add three to five hashtags to improve discovery in Google+ and Google search.

#2: Stay On-Topic

What is your brand?  What is your product?  Why should people bother with what you have to share?  That’s your topic.  Stay on it.

#3: Share Business Posts to your Personal Profile

You’re short on time. Combine your efforts and post to both to extend your reach and reap great dividends.
For even better results, get a network of friends together who will collectively share each others’ posts.
By sharing your posts from multiple accounts, you reach a much wider audience. Adding a level of personality to your posts (via customized insights about them) adds a personalized punch to the content, which in turn expresses expertise, authority and trustworthiness.

#4: Post Third-Party Content

It’s OK to link to other blogs or share other people’s posts. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to provide 80% content that is not promotional in nature (including content from someone else) and 20% that speaks to what you do.
Add your own comments to the third-party content you share to increase your authority, as well as showing others that is has value and they should read it.  Remember: It’s not always about you.

#5: Analytics

When you know what moves the needle for your business, it’s easier to measure the metrics that relate to it.
As you analyze metrics from the Google+ dashboard, you might also want to look at the momentum in metrics to determine whether your social media efforts are working. As you note trends in these metrics, you can tweak your tactics as necessary.
Wrapping Up
To reap the benefits of Google+
  • Stay on-topic
  • Share helpful information from others
  • Leverage your network of existing connections