This is the one social media site we’ve used the least for our clients to date, and I don’t really know why.  You’d think any product from Google would have been a forerunner from the start, which to date it has not.  Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are all well established in both social and business circles and we’ve often wondered if there is a need or room for another social media giant for marketing purposes.

However, that looks set to change.  Despite its minimal media profile and awareness, Google+ is now apparently the second largest social network (worldwide).  It has now been with us for over 12 months and has reached over 400 million users. Despite this, it is underestimated as a tool for marketing a business or brand.

So what’s been the difference lately to lead to such an increase in use?  Well, these are just 2 key factors that are driving the social web in 2013 (according to a Global Web Index study):

1. Mobile – with the number of people accessing the internet via a mobile phone increasing by 60.3% to 818.4 million in the last 2 years.
2. Older users adoption – On Twitter the 55-64 year age bracket is the fastest growing demographic with 79% growth rate since 2012. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook?s and Google+?s networks are the 45 to 54 year age bracket at 46% and 56% respectively.

One thing is for sure, the mere fact that it’s Google owned means that it has tremendous SEO and branding potential, what we want to do is understand just what power it has and how it should best be used for marketing.

Firstly, we need to understand its nuances and how it differs from the other social media giants.  According to Jeff Bullas (consultant, coach, mentor and speaker working with companies and to optimize their online personal and company presence and brand with digital marketing and social media) here are its main strengths:

– As Facebook has, there are both personal and brand (company) pages that allow you to post text, images and video.  Google+ was designed from the start to be ‘multi-media rich’ and optimized for mobile.

– As it’s still young in the social media world, Facebook became dated very quickly, in terms of look and feel.  Facebook was forced to evolve more rapidly and enhance its features such as live video, larger and higher definition images, and improved user interface.  Google+ still has more of a modern look and feel.

– Overall, Google+ offers capabilities that make connecting and engaging online globally, both richer and easier than before.

In terms of setting Google+ apart from its competitors, here are 3 key features of Google+:

Hangouts

These allow you to have live video chat with up to 10 people.  Google+ hangouts really have been embraced by communities globally, both personally and for business – they allow free, real time face to face engagement.  This can build stronger relationships with people that text communication.  I recently joined a hangout to hear a social media seminar, it worked really well.

No limit to the size of articles

One of its most highly valued and widely embedded features (in the business world in particular) is the ability to add long articles.  This is a really important in terms of content, which in turn is crucial for thought leadership and SEO.

Circles

This feature allows you to easily drag and drop users into custom created circles that can be private or public.   Whilst the term ‘private’ might lead to impressions of secrecy, it is used by many businesses to have private discussions with industry groups and communities.  It also separates areas of life, so personal and professional can remain apart.

So, whilst Google+ might not be as visible as Facebook and Twitter, don’t underestimate its use or power.  Appletree have adopted it and will be using it alongside the other social media sites we use to promote the business.  The important thing to remember is to include it in your activity plan and integrate it with all the other marketing you?re doing.

If you’d like help with your social media strategy and planning, get in touch.  It’s never too late to take a step into the social media world.