# Google+ / +1's, Sharing, Reviews



## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

I couldn't find it again if I wanted, but I watched a video of a group of guys that have spent lots of time dissecting Google+ and how to have it best help with SEO. 

Short version is this. Get it, use it and treat it as if it is as valuable as your website itself. 

Regarding how to increase it's value in SEO. 

1. Quality content of course. 
2. +1's are nice.
3. Sharing content is best. In other words, if your content gets shared, it's assumed it's good stuff. Better than the +1 stuff. 
4. Gotta get Google Reviews to be on the maps with star ratings anymore. Minimum of 5 reviews. No creating false reviews. Competitors can and will flag you. 

Sharing content. Share share share.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

Good tips. When I took over the online media for this business, I was shocked at how many more people visit our G+ page than visit our site. I figured it would be around the same (our site is top search, G+ appears right next to it on the right) but the ratio wasn't even close to 1:1 from our website and the G+ metrics.

I haven't gotten around to posting content there, but I definitely, definitely will be in the future. Assuming you have one and it comes up on search, that's the go-to for most people because it's so easy. Just click the giant text/picture.


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

We do have an active Google plus page finally,
it's the Google local page, with the reviews etc.
It shows on the side of Google when we are searched.
Posts appear on search results,
and it must help with search results (indirectly)


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

ok everybody go share each others post


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

Mark Traphagen I think is a good name when it comes to stuff like this. 

http://youtu.be/U8U6pfaUGOU?t=6m16s

I found the video. It should start at a good place after the introductions are done.

I'd like to add, because for the people that do not want to take the time to watch the video. This isn't something that works by just clicking some links, sharing a couple and leaving it at that. 

One guy explained it best. There will be a definable quality of a community within google+ one is apart of. Communities that interact with one another, such as is being done in a big way on private Facebook pages that are private, i.e... asked by google not to track. Google + is offering a platform to communicate with others, in public. Putting the old time good ol' face to face hand shaking concept on google +. Instead of going out in a new neighborhood, talking about nothing but yourself, it would probably be better to instead inquire about others and what they do, get to know them, start a relationship. Become trusted... 

I like it.


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## 6126 (May 9, 2010)

Dave Mac said:


> ok everybody go share each others post


LMAO :thumbsup:


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## Glasons (Feb 13, 2015)

You can also embed links into your Google + posts as well and the good thing about links in your Google + posts is that Google indexes them which means they see them... So make sure you find a way of linking back to your website every now and then...


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

I created a Google+ page for my company, because many told me that it was the best way to get found on a Google search. Customers can now find me on a Google search, but whether or not this is due to my Google+ page I do not know. I find Google+ terrible, no one uses it, it has a terrible interface (as far as I am concerned), and I hardly ever go to my page, and have not updated it for a very long time. But, yet I still show up on a Google search. My Google+ listing shows up, but so does my website, my Facebook page, and my Yelp listing.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Pete, you will have better results by telling Google that your business and you are connected. 
Like Facebook, there are Profiles, Pages and Local
Profile-add your site under "contributes to"
Page (if you have one) do the same
Local-make sure it is verified and get 5 reviews
Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone) is exactly the same on all.
i couldn't find your G+, so you may have this.
Add the G+ share button to your blog, I read the one about drying wood, but couldn't share it (well, I could, but I am to lazy to copy/paste, got to G+ and post)


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

RCP said:


> Pete, you will have better results by telling Google that your business and you are connected.
> Like Facebook, there are Profiles, Pages and Local
> Profile-add your site under "contributes to"
> Page (if you have one) do the same
> ...


I believe that I have already done the first, and I will try to figure out how to do the second.
Thanks, figured it out.


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

So much about Google plus is unknown or unproven but a lot of it is known.
Google is all about Semantic Search now and Google plus is a big part of it.

I am involved with it for over a year now, 
with my personal profile and business page, I think I have it figured out.
Thanks for your help Chris (two years later).

If we still read books, read this
It explains everything about Google and Google plus is very important.

I also find it to be the most pleasant, interesting and most engaging of all social media.
But you need to give it a chance first.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Pete the Painter said:


> I believe that I have already done the first, and I will try to figure out how to do the second.
> Thanks, figured it out.


Pete, your G+ profile links to http://petetheapaintersramblings.blogspot.com/
If you need some help, pm me.


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## Glasons (Feb 13, 2015)

Just like Google, Apple also has a Maps for Businesses that you can sign up for, Apple will be relying more and more on their maps data so it will be essential for small business owners to sign up...


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

RCP said:


> Pete, your G+ profile links to http://petetheapaintersramblings.blogspot.com/
> If you need some help, pm me.


Thanks RCP, I have not used that, obviously, for quite some time. I write a blog on my website, and then I was occasionally putting it on my Google+ page. But, like I mentioned in my first post, I just don't get the purpose behind keeping up my Google+ page. Customers are able to find my via my website and Facebook page. I just find that no ones uses Google+ and don't see the need to keep it up to date. Am I missing something?


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Hi Pete,
I understand what you are saying, G+ is another social channel, you don't have to use it. I was just trying to help you so that you sent the right signals to Google to improve search results.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

RCP said:


> Hi Pete,
> I understand what you are saying, G+ is another social channel, you don't have to use it. I was just trying to help you so that you sent the right signals to Google to improve search results.


So, if I use my Google+ page more will I get better results on searches?


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

Pete the Painter said:


> So, if I use my Google+ page more will I get better results on searches?


Not necessarily, there is no proof of that yet, and if you do, only indirectly.

But all you ever wanted to know about how Google search works, 
and where it's going, is in David Amerland's Semantic search Book (Linked above).


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

George Z said:


> Not necessarily, there is no proof of that yet, and if you do, only indirectly.


This guy Mark Traphagen, he has done a lot of in house research for the company he is associated with. He discusses it in other videos and seems to think there are direct results of it. He did some testing under differing circumstances. I read this recently. When you have time look and see what you take from it. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. 



RCP said:


> Pete, your G+ profile links to http://petetheapaintersramblings.blogspot.com/
> If you need some help, pm me.


The best hands down.



George Z said:


> So much about Google plus is unknown or unproven but a lot of it is known.
> Google is all about Semantic Search now and Google plus is a big part of it.
> 
> I am involved with it for over a year now,
> ...


The 'pureness' of the connection between google and google+, it would be hard to imagine any other venue as more valuable. Especially with Google still being king of search. I've come to like google+ way more than facebook. I agree, after giving it a chance it would be hard to think different.


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

I read a lot from Mark, even when he was the "authorship expert" at Virante.
Eric Enge hired him to work at Stone Temple Consulting with him and they
did some great research.
After authorship lost it's lustre (seemingly) they focused on other SEO subjects
One of the latest is the new love affair with Twitter.
What makes Mark special though is that he gives you the time of day and engages with you. I am just a paint contractor right? 
I had a few direct and long answers from him, you would think he is very busy.
But the Google plus community engages, no matter who you are.
You just need to be transparent, contribute, and jump right in.
Good luck getting that from any other social media.

Keep in mind +mentions could be the new inbound links these days.
I got a few from Mark, David Amerland, even Jaana Nystrom.

Did that help me? I would think so, these are high authority people as far as Google goes.

Study David Amerland's research and thoughts and it all makes sense.

By the way it is written well. I was able to read (and comprehend it)
on a flight from Toronto to Frankfurt and back. 
It felt like the quickest flight ever. Didn't even watch a movie!


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Pete the Painter said:


> So, if I use my Google+ page more will I get better results on searches?


I agree with George, and John made some good points.

Even though the official "authorship" is considered dead, Google is all about serving up the best results to searchers. No one can really explain the algorithm, but look at it this way. If a searcher looks for painters in *** town, G goes and looks for the best match. 
Who is a better match?
A. The painter with a a scattering of assorted random posts
B. The painter with a correctly indexed and optimized website with fresh content, linked to a verified Local page with reviews and content
And not just Google, but what about the searcher? If I could not find Pete's Local page from his site, how would the average customer?


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

Do keep in mind when you're trying to do SEO (specifically, not referring to the other topics here) any literature you read on it more than a couple months should be considered out of date. Google makes frequent, large changes to their algorithms (which are vassssstly complicated) to keep people from engaging in too much black hat SEO, among other things.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

I look at it this way- If I was google, I would show slightly more favor to people that use my social media platform.


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