Google+ Changes

Google+ Changes: What it means for your business

Google+ is like Tupac Shakur--alive or dead? Who knows? Speculation continues to grow about what will happen with Google Plus. The recent changes with Google+ has businesses questioning how they should approach social media, and wondering, “How will this affect my social media marketing strategy?”

Google Announcement

On July 27, 2015, Google officially announced they are making changes to their social platform, Google+, and users can expect to see these changes slowly roll out over the next few months.

What To Expect

In the upcoming months, you'll no longer need a Google+ account to use Google's services. This announcement has been welcomed by the masses on social media. Google has also promised a more focused Google+ experience.

Google+ will place a stronger emphasis on interest-based communities who use the platform to share news and comments. Google Plus’s new “Collections” feature will let people group their posts by topic and follow topics rather than just other users. You could think of this like a mini-Pinterest.

They will also move some features that are not interest-based out of Google+. For example, many elements of Google+ Photos have been moved into the new Google Photos app, and they will be placing location sharing into Hangouts and other apps in the upcoming months.

Google+ vs. Local Google Business Listings

To answer the question, “How will these changes affect my social media marketing strategy?” For now, Google+ will live on for business and will continue to be a vital piece of your SEO strategy. Your Google+ Local Business listings are not going away. In fact, having a local G+ Business page will become more important as mobile search increases and local listings are the target. Consider who you are trying to reach, potential customers will search for hours, reviews, location and contact information, so it’s important to keep listings updated and fully optimized.

Get ahead of the curve

Part of a healthy social media strategy is diversification, rebalance your social portfolio. Like every other online platform, G+ is about building relationships, identifying brand advocates, and engaging in conversation in order to convert potential customers into loyal customers. Making those connections will prove valuable, no matter what social platform comes and goes. G+ is not dead… yet. Continue to engage your customers on multiple social platforms. This is a good opportunity to explore growth on other social platforms, such as Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram. Keep a constant eye on the KPIs you’ve set for your social goals, and when something stops working, it’s time to refresh the strategy and tactics.

If you have questions about your local business listing, or would like a free SEO analysis, please contact us at 800.351.9081.