A successful SEO campaign includes a Google+ strategy, yet many companies are still not thinking about Google+ as such a crucial aspect for SEO. Your typical social media benefits are obvious-on-site engagement, targeted messages, connections and referrals, etc.-but the benefits in terms of ranking on a SERP are still being ignored. The short explanation is this: If someone you are connected with on Google+ either writes an article or +1s an article, that article is more likely to show up on your specific SERP because a person you trust found that article useful. If you're a company, you're going to want to be that search result.
Unfortunately, making it happen is a bit more complicated than it sounds (authorship, personal sharing, +1 buttons, etc.), so creating a Google+ strategy does take a bit of research. Because it's incredibly important for a business to get started really understanding Google+ and how it can be leveraged for SEO, below is a list of a few resources dedicated to just that.
Google+ Tutorials and Articles Not to Miss
There are quite a few tutorials out there that work great, but is a variety of different types of articles such as videos, slideshows, and your traditional article:
- The Google+ Project. This is one of the most straightforward tutorials out there, and it comes to you right from Google. Great for beginners.
- How to Use Google+ to Grow Your Business in 2013. This video comes to you from Google+ expert Sean Moffett. This is a video I stumbled across that I found incredibly useful. It's one hour long, but Moffett is so entertaining and enthusiastic that you won't even notice. If video is how you like to get your information, this one is a winner.
- Why Google+ Was Made for Bloggers. It's always good to find a post that zeros in on your exact business, and if you're a blogger this is one of those articles. Direct and focused on blogs taking advantage.
- Complete User Guide: Google Plus Pages for Businesses and Brands. This resource has a good mix of content and video. You will find 8 videos to help get you through every aspect of Google+. Very detailed, so it's great for someone a little bit more advanced.
- Guide to the New Google Plus Cover Photo Size, Inspiration & Tips. This article is great because it really focuses on all of the new aspects of Google+ and how you can make those work for you. Most of the changes discussed have to do with images and visuals, so it's unique than many Google+ articles you'll find out there.
- 30 Tricks, Apps, and Extensions for Google Plus. Again, a unique article that really gives businesses everything they need to help make their Google+ efforts easier. Apps and extensions can get overwhelming, so it's nice to have it all in one place.
- How to Create a Google+ Event. Always good to know, and Hubspot explains it in very simple terms. Complete with lots of screenshots as well as analysis, you can't go wrong.
Google+ Experts to Follow
- Sarah Hill. Hill (featured in Moffett's video discussed above) has over 2 million people who have added her in a Google+ circle. Follow her for expert Google+ advice, particularly on how to use Google+ hangouts to improve your business.
- James Brooks. Brooks is one of the men in charge of GPlusTuts (discussed below). He's constantly giving Google+ advice on the blog and answering questions from readers.
- Beth Kanter. In over 300,000 Google+ circles, Kanter often posts about Google+. She doesn't only post about Google+, however, but a wide range of different social and SEO topics.
Websites Devoted to Google+ Info
- GPlusTuts. This is the only website that I have been able to find that focuses strictly on Google+ (although there are many blogs and websites out there that focus on social media including Google+). It is a blog that helps Google+ newbies really understand the network by posting tutorials and other tips, tricks, and opinions about the network.
- Google Plus Tutorials Account. The Social Media Panel has an entire Google+ account dedicated to sharing and promoting content specifically about Google+. I highly recommend putting them in a circle!
Google+ Articles Written By Higher Visibility
Our own writers have been guest blogging like crazy, and many of these guest articles are all about Google+ and its relation to SEO. If you like our style, check these out:
- International Expansion: How to Break Down Barriers with Google+ Hangouts. Published on Search Engine Watch.
- Google+ Ripples Explained. Published on Search Engine Journal.
- Google+ Authorship 101: How to Make It Work for You. Published on Muze Development.
- Still Confused About Google+ Local? What Your Business Needs to Know: Published on Extreme John.
Do you know of any great Google+ resources for those just getting started? Any tips you've learned from your own experiences? Let us know your story and your thoughts in the comments below.