I haven't written much about Google+ because many of my readers don't use it. But I think it's time to step up and start paying attention to this social network because it has much better SEO value than Facebook. Let's be honest here, Google is the current master of web search and they give Google+ shares a lot more weight than what you might be doing on Facebook. So if you don't think people will "see" your posts via the actual Google+ website because "no one" (150 million people) uses it, rest assured the techniques apply themselves to the Google SERP so your efforts will definitely go seen.
On the surface, there are a lot of similarities between the actions you take on Facebook and those you take on Google+. Both social systems have the ability to connect with people for business or pleasure, both systems have the ability to check in, both allow you to post updates of things you are doing during your day, and both give you the ability to share the things around the web that you've found and like.
Facebook started, and has remained, first and foremost, a place for friends to connect. Facebook continues to struggle with providing businesses with services and quality advertising methods. Just when businesses think they have FB figured out, the format changes again and becomes an expensive and untested learning curve.
On the other hand, even though Google+ started out as a place for friends, I view it as an umbrella service that would eventually tie together every other disconnected Google service. It has already changed several times since it was launched, but the underlying individual Google services it ties together have remained the same. Since many Google services are business related it was obvious to me that Google+ would eventually become a powerful tool for businesses.
Friendster's popularity was killed by MySpace in 2006. But then MySpace started to die off in 2008 as Facebook took over the colleges campuses and eventually opened up to everyone. Google's foray into social is happening in a new era of the Internet. We're all a little more savvy and not so eager to jump into a new network that seems to be a 4th generation network.
The general feeling is that our friends are not on Google+ and therefore why would we bother joining that network? But that's just it; the 3 popular social networks before Google+ were designed for friends.
Business social media is not about making friends, it's about making money. When your social media actions are concentrating on conversations with followers you lose touch with how to make money. Social media can bring sales if you focus on giving good content rather than worrying about the conversation.
Since the majority of your friends may not be on Google+ you have no other choice but to concentrate your efforts on good content instead of conversations. Focusing on content builds trust and illustrates expertise to your readers. Eventually, when the time is right, those readers turn into business relationships.
People who click your shares posts tend to be more highly motivated, and more interested in what you have to say. But since Google+ isn't friend based, or at least you can't establish your clients through friend connections, you need to find them a different way.
You can use the simple website http://www.group.as to find people to add to circles. You could also use http://www.findpeopleonplus.com which provides a lot more ways to find specific people in your area. You should start by looking for people within driving distance of your jewelry store, within an age range, and many other parameters.
However, there's a hitch to circling people you don't know. Eventually you need to create a Business Page on Google using your personal account as the admin. Business Pages are not allowed to Circle people unless they first add your Page to their circles. Sound convoluted? It is, but it's also the same as on Facebook, they just do it though a Like button.
So here's your homework for today: Use the FindPeopleOnPlus.com website to locate people near you, and add them to a circle for your personal account called "Local People." You can call the circle anything you like when you create it; I'm suggesting Local People because that's who they are.
In tomorrow's Nugget I'll give you some ideas for sharing content to Google+.
