Using Google+ Local to Improve Search Visibility

First major mention for Google+ came in 28th june’11. The day when Larry Page addressed about 10 Million Google+ users, One Billion shared items per day. This was a proud moment for Google considering its serious of failures in social media. Aggessive approach to promote Google+ across various Google properties, linking it to Gmail has provided favorable results and some competition to the biggest among the social media platforms – Facebook.

Google’s 10th Jan’12 algorithm update on ‘Search + Your World’ has improved the weight-age or significance of having Google+ profile and links. With the Universal search and Search+ Your World update, the Big G has taken a deep dive into personalization. This can be considered as Google’s push to promote the ‘not so appreciated’ Google+ in one way, while, giving a twist and creating suspense over its social influence factor and ‘relevancy’ data.

What is Google+ All about and does it really helps getting better search engine rankings?
Below is a video from SES SanFrancisco Aug’12, where the greatest search marketers (Danny Sullivan and Brett Tabke) also we present and during a Q & A session, Matt Cutts the Google Engineer from WebSpam team explained in his own ‘diplomatic’ way

Let’s take a simplistic view and see how to use of Google+ for Business

Small businesses having only 1 or 2 branches that too locally so there is no use of spending too much on search engine visibility since it is used worldwide. There’s no point in coming first in the search results for any person, if your product is not available anywhere near that customer’s locations. If you want to reach out to local people only, Google+ Local can help you reach to local people only.

As a matter of fact, a good percentage of web and mobile searches are for local products only. Hence it is more important to be available in local searches than anywhere else. Google’s universal search considers Google+ Local pages when local content is being searched for. In fact local pages come either on top or next to top page. Local businesses can benefit the most by adding to Google+ Local pages. Another advantage Google+ Local pages have is that they’ll only be searched when giving a Google+ search for local business and will not entertain any paid ads or other competing pages.

Adding complete information about your business including your location and customer reviews can improve the visibility of your page in Google+ Local searches. Google+ uses user reviews also while considering your page in search results. Google+ review points can add customer response since the review points are given based a 3 point scale and customers can rate the business without writing a review on it also. You can ask your customer to give positive and negative feedback and respond to it in a positive way. Positive reviews from customers and owner add points to your site. New customers would prefer to read the reviews given in your site and base their decision on the reviews. A negative review from the owner can result in a negative opinion and the customer may not even look into your page.

Google+ always tries to fetch most relevant and useful results to people. A complete Google+ profile can help you get better visibility in search engine results and get better sales. There is not point giving results on dresses if the customer is looking for a foot-spa nearby. The only things other than foot-spa that can come in the search results will be comfort-footwear, foot creams, beauty spas etc. because they are related to either foot or spa.

Since Google+ local pages can be availed from mobile and the reviews also are available on mobile, the data is most useful for people depending on mobile search for data. On-the-go decisions are most influenced by the search results in Google+ local. You see what your friends like and decide after seeing their reviews. You don’t have to call and ask each of your friend’s opinion now. You can see them online and on which ever product or service you’re interested in. Review data becomes more reliable when you see the reviews done by people you know.

Proper updates on Google+ Local can get you more local customers to your business. For people looking for local businesses this is the best way to get information since they get information they require along with reviews on the products and services.

As they say – SEO is not dead, its changing. Now social media has more effect on search behaviour and visibility. Google+ helps in getting better social link value if done properly.