Most of the socializing that is done, is much like Facebook in that you will be sharing your content with those with whom you connect.  The ethics of Google+ are much the same as Facebook.  In other words, while you can easily connect with others on an individual level, you will want to set up a business page to take full advantage of all of the network’s features.

The first thing that you will want to do is to invite those who are part of your contact database to connect with you on Google Plus.  If you have followed previous lessons, you may have already connected to those in your database that use Facebook.  However, you have probably noticed that there were a number of individuals who chose not to take you up on your offer to connect with your fan page.  In some cases, customers and prospects do not use the Facebook platform and don’t want to join it in order to become part of your page.

As a result, your invitation to them to connect with you on Google Plus will give you another opportunity to reach a new network of people who may like to share information about your product or service.  The potential for new people to share your content on a social level is the factor that gives social media platforms like Google+ such power.

The other factor that is important is the integration that Google has initiated with its ‘Places’ program and Google Plus.  It has significant value for ranking your website and your business directory listing.  This alone, is a major reason for you to participate on the network.  This will be the subject of one of our future lessons where we discuss some advanced strategies.   Nevertheless, in our last lesson on social media, we will discuss the social network Pinterest and how you can benefit from it.

Call us today so that we can help you to take full advantage of being part of the Google+ network and how it can help the ranking of your website and business directory listing.

The post Lesson 26 – Introduction to Google+ appeared first on wLw.

Because Google Places’ directory listings often show up first before the top ten web pages, it is an important opportunity for every local small business to participate.   In our last lesson we discussed the importance of making sure that you fill your Google Places profile out completely and carefully, so that you get the maximum advantage from your most productive keywords.

One aspect of Google Places that every business owner needs to be aware of is that consumers are encouraged to share their reviews of the businesses that are listed.  That means that if a customer has an exceptionally good experience at your business, they will have the opportunity write a review.  That review will show up in your actual Google Places listing.

However, the opposite is also true.  When customers have a bad experience, they will be empowered to leave a review about your site on the Google Places page.  This scenario is now amplified because Google has now tied their social network to their business directory.  Therefore, the customer who reviews your business will be potentially sharing that review with their personal or professional network.

The nature of reviews online is such that most of the people who respond tend to do so when they have a bad experience.  Those who have the experience that they were expecting or that they feel they paid for are unlikely to respond.  Therefore, you will need to make sure to either have a staff person monitor your Google Places listing, or you will need to make it part of something you do personally if you don’t have a staff.  One bad review on your Google Places listing could be enough to discourage a prospect from trying out your product or service.

When you do get a negative review there is no need to panic.  Google Places gives you the opportunity to answer the person who left the review.  Additionally, Google is taking steps to make sure that the review that is left is authentic by connecting the permission to write a review to their social network.

In our next lesson, we will discuss what you can do when you have negative information that appears in the other business directory listings as well as in the top ten search results.  Call us today if you have already noticed negative listings near your keywords or in your Google Places reviews. We will share the best practices of other companies like yours when they too have received negative reviews.

The post Lesson 19 – Google Places – Online Customer Reviews appeared first on wLw.

You may have been thinking, “What is Google Places?” when you read that.  Google Places (Places) is Google’s version of the online business directory.  Some say it is the online yellow pages for business (even though the Yellow Pages company has its own directory site).  ‘Places’ is most important when it comes to being visible in the search engines, because Google favors the directory when it is determined that people are searching for local businesses.  In other words, when consumers search for a plumber in Chicago they will see Places a listing of local plumbers before they see anything else.  That means that even the top ten search results are pushed down the page while Google Places listings display on top.

It is beneficial then to make sure that your Google Places profile is filled out completely and carefully in order to maximize your presence on your company’s most lucrative keywords.  You’ll also want to make sure you have integrated your social networking account from Google into the completion of your Places profile.  While this may be an involved process it is a very important one.  It can mean the difference between consumers routinely finding you or your competitors.

In our next lesson we will dig a little deeper into Google Places since it truly is an important component of marketing online.  Call us today so that we can help you maximize Google Places and all of the directory sites for your most lucrative keywords.

The post Lesson 18 – Google Places – Online Local Business Directory appeared first on wLw.