In the past few days I have received so many Google+ announcements from, not people or user companies, people trying to sell services to create Google+ company pages. So before you panic why would you create a company page on Google+?
The companies sending out the emails would have you believe that G+ is the place to engage or sell to consumers. I question this and I’ll share the evidence from multi million pound companies.
If you watch the TV, apart from France which is being daft as usual, you will note blue chip companies ending adverts with the use of facebook.com and Twitter hash tags. These companies have massive research and PR budgets and I would venture to say they know what they are doing. The blue chips are not engaging or selling via Google+ and my view is it has yet to be proven as a consumer commercial tool. Therefore, should you be doing anything right now?
My advice is to create a company page in basic form, just to make sure others do not steal your brand name! Then post a message on that G+ page with links to FaceBook, your blog, twitter and your website. These can be just basic links. So how much will this cost?
If you have an IT person or group, they can retain a G+ page for you – to be honest a teenager could do it such is the simplicity of the exercise. DO NOT be tempted to spend even the most modest of resources, now, on creating a G+ page as the time it takes to make one is under five minutes. Are there any exceptions to this?
In certain circumstance there could be a need for a company page on G+. I am sure there a very niche groups which will migrate to G+. If your needs fall into such a category then yes you need a G+ page with all the bells and whistles possible –remember to measure the results!
I do not think G+ has a competitor online. However, if you force me I would say the closest in LinkedIn. Therefore, if you have good consumer reaction from a page on LinkedIn then maybe you may need a G+ page – if not just do brand protection.
If on the other hand you are getting good results from FaceBook then follow the big boys and use it – be sensible about this, why would people with a lot to lose by not reaching out to their customers/clients be using Facebook if G+ was a better option?
So Here are my tips
1, Register a G+ page – it only take a minute and protects your name
2. Link the G+ page back to Facebook, twitter, Blog, Website etc
3. Make sure you are using Twitter hash tags – watch the video
N.B If you are new to this the underlined areas above link to examples for you
DO NOT get sucked into the hype people would have you believe G+ is
DO NOT get sucked into paying companies even modest budgets to create G+ pages
DO NOT forget those advertising on TV using FaceBook and Twitter know what they are doing!
I’ll keep an eye on G+ and if it does show real consumer merit – an article WILL appear here.