Will Google+ be a game changer? It may soon become part of every Bloggers life, whether they like it or not.

Welcome back to the How To Build An Author House Series. Today’s discussion goes to the webs new boy, Google+, and how it may become a daily part of all of our lives.

I’m personally not a huge fan of Google+ and didn’t plan to include it in my own author marketing activities. As I’ve said previously, Everything Needs A Purpose, and I couldn’t see what Google+ offered my author platform.

This has, however, changed largely due to its impending impact on SEO. This means Google+ now has a purpose in my author platform, something I will discuss at the end of this post. I would first like to pass over to a Guest Blogger, Dominic Lidgett, who is going to offer some grand advice on these new features, how they impact you, and how you can leverage your own author marketing to take advantage.

Over to you Dominic…

With search and social seemingly getting more and more tangled up in Google and Bing’s algorithms, search engine optimisers cannot ignore social media – close your eyes and accept it, you have to if you want to keep up. Bing incorporates Facebook data into its search results. Now Google have taken a giant, and some might say risky step with the introduction of Search Plus Your World (SPYW).

In a nutshell if you are signed into your Google account your search results will be stirred up and will now include content such as links, images, and videos that have been shared by friends in your Google+ social network, as well as the traditional search results. If this is new to you please visit here for more info

In this article I want to talk about how this new feature will affect your search engine results…

Search Results Visibility

The biggest and most obvious impact on search results is visibility. Let’s pretend I’m the user in the official video on here to compare the potential results.

The results from SPYW are definitely more visually appealing with more product images and thumbnails of people in my Google+ circles that have shared content on this subject. It is also more entertaining than the usual results as it is full of opinions from people in my circles. So if I want to be entertained and get a review of a product or service, by people who are more likely to influence my decision, then Google SPYW is great.

However, SPYW is only as powerful as the people you have in your Google+ circles. Let’s say one day I decide to research some new shoes for an event, so go to Google and discover more traditional search results. A lack of SPYW results for this query may make my decision more difficult, compared to results received in the past. If your Google+ circles are full of individuals who are writers, publishers, and editors, then SPYW may become a non-starter for that search.

Here are a few points to get you started:

–       If you don’t already have a Google+ page, set one up.

–       Share content on Google+ regularly, this means sharing product images, videos, news and updates and of course links to products. Maybe even some personal opinion.

–       Build your network. It does you no good to post content if you don’t have a group of followers to share it with. One way to do this is by adding a Google+ link to your website that links to your Google+ page. In addition, add the +1 button to product pages, which enables people to recommend your products and services. Once people add your page to their Circles, add them back.

Top Tip

–       Make it easy for fans to +1 content on your Blog

Big thanks for Dominic for providing an insight into Google+ and how it’s features can affect your SEO progress. Overall it seems Google+ is a must for an author platform moving forward, because otherwise your SEO results could become ancient. On the plus side it could also help your SEO, especially if you’re trying to get to the main page in a busy market, which lets be honest, the writing world generally is.

If you create some big circles in Google+, and generally create content that can be shared with ease, then you could see your author marketing gaining some traction.

In terms of how I plan to use Google+, I still don’t plan to get heavily involved, because I feel, as a social media platform; it offers nothing more than the likes of Twitter and Facebook. I do plan on further involvement though, mostly by making sure all of my Blog posts get added to my Google+ Page and aligning the design so it follows my Brand Identity.

This bare minimum approach should help speed up the process of Google finding my posts, and by naturally adding to my circles then my SEO should see some improvement.

Other aspects need to complement this however, and I do have certain ideas to utilise Google+ more effectively with future Author Marketing activities. This includes competitions and promotions when The Millionaire Plan becomes a free e-book, and for other future books that will hopefully hit the online world.

As for the design, Click Here and see how I’ve aligned my page with the rest of my author platform. I don’t plan on using Google+ as much as other Social networks, but it does have a purpose in my author platform. This is what I suggest you do:

–       Sign up for an account (I also created a Brand Page as I feel it offers more flexibility moving forward. This will be my primary platform on Google+)

–       Align your Google+ page with the rest of your brand identity

–       Add every Blog Post to your Google+ page

–       Make a plan on exactly what you will use it for

–       Be consistent with what you choose

–       Add people you already know to your circles. Have a Twitter list? Add these people so you have a solid foundation at the very least

–       Advertise your Google+ page on your Blog, and in the occasional post

There you go folks, that’s Google+ in a nutshell and the reasons to get involved in some level at least. Remember, you have to have a purpose for it and you need to have a plan as to how to use it. It can help form your author platform, so don’t over look things. At the same time though you only have so many hours in the day so don’t try too much.

Thanks once again to Dominic, I hope his advice will help you along your way. Have a question about Google+? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts. Oh, and please add me to your circle if you do indeed have a Google+ account. I’ll be sure to return the favour 🙂

Turndog Millionaire – @turndog_million

Dominic Lidgett is a Blogger who writes about a variety of different online marketing topics. Check out more of his work at seo hull