Your Google+ Page promises to be a powerful tool in your marketing, but for now, information on making it so seems to be all over the place, as well as changing daily. It’s easy to lose track of or miss opportunities, when setting up your Google+ Business Page if you don’t keep a few, core steps in mind. This post will help you make sure no steps are missed, as well as assisting you to set things up quickly and easily.

Setting Up a Google+ Page for your Business

Setting up a Page for your business is simple — but it has to integrate with your Google account, so if you are setting one up for a client, ensure that client understands you will be using her Google account log in information — not yours!

What You Need to Have Ready:

While in the signup process, you will need to enter at least two of these three criteria, depending on the Category you choose:

• A valid phone number

• Your location

• Your profile photo or Logo graphic (preferably square, though Google+ allows you to not only drag and drop but drag and position)

When you’re ready…

1. Go to https://plus.google.com/pages/create. It will prompt you to log into your account, if you haven’t already done so. (If you have already logged into your account, you can simply select the “Create a Google+ page” beside your stream.)

2. Select the category most appropriate to your business. Your choices are:

(Note you will only need your phone number for “Local Business or Place”)

3. Select “Create”, and follow the prompts to add:

• A powerful tagline of 10 words that best describes your business

• Your profile photo or graphic

Inserting a photo is even more easy than usual: Not only can you drag and drop your photo directly from your desktop, you can also select the area of the photo you wish to use, much as with re-sizing Facebook thumbnails:

Your end result — however the shape of the original — has to be a perfect square…

That’s all there is to creating your page! (Took you just a few minutes, right?)

“But Wait… There’s More…”

If you stop at simply having created your Page, however, you’ll be disappointed in the results. Even at this early Beta stage, there are a few vital tips and tricks that can significantly push your sites and Page up through Google search results. Number one you’ve already taken care of — you’ve created the +Page. Now you will need to amplify its power by installing a +1 Button on your site, so people can “vote” for you. This includes not just subscribers and followers, but members of the general public who happen to organically find your site — helped by your strong Google+ listings, of course.

You see, Google+ Pages with real clout automatically open at the actual Page, if searchers are savvy enough to type “+YourName or Keyword” in the Google search box (Direct Connect)…

You can tell at a glance if a search parameter auto-connect and open up an existing Google+ Page: The Page graphic and tagline will instantly appear in the drop-down Suggestions. If you hit “Enter” on seeing such a result, that Google+ Page opens up.

The flaw? Not all existing Google+ Pages open up or even show up, even if they exist! However, you can weight your newly-created +Page to rise through the ranks and be eligible for Direct Connect by ensuring you employ a few simple strategies…

Step One: Be Ready to Share!

As you finish creating your page, you’ll be given the option to share it. Make sure you are prepared and ready to go.

(Google really does make it easy for you to cover many of the bases!)

Step Two: Setting Up your Google +1 Button

The number one key strategy lies in setting up a Google+1 button on all your websites; then publicizing the fact you have one and directing people with a call to action to “like” it. (Don’t detract from the value of Google +1 buttons, however, by using emotional coercion, or +1 buttons will soon sink to the level of Facebook’s value-less “Like” buttons.)

Setting up your button and choosing the icon size is simple, and you don’t need step-by-step instructions. It consists of:

1. Grabbing a snippet of JavaScript code. (Install this anywhere on your site.)
2. Scrolling further down that page and customizing the HTML code generated.
3. Insert the generated code in your web page at the spot you want your +1 button to appear

What the +1 button actually does is:

• Help people discover “relevant content” (including ads) — from personal recommendations

• Display your own profile photo, when you “like” a +1 button on someone else’s Page, site or Circle. (You can choose to “hide” this, if you prefer.)

• Allows others to recommend your own sites or Page

• Allows others to see which of their own friends and connections has also personally endorsed your listings

• Allows others to see how many +1 ratings you’ve received. (You can customize this not to show, if your business, website and/or Page is brand new.)

• Increases your sites’ relevance and value in Google’s eyes, upping your SEO status and rank

• Increase your visibility and prominence in search results

Remember, however, that any page or site you add +1 to will be public — even if your Robots.txt file or WordPress blog settings are set for “nofollow”.

Step Three: Enabling Google+ Circles — This area of Google+ already plays a big part in Google+ Page engagement and promises to grow in importance, so you might want to adjust your settings to automatically add Pages to your own Circles. Here’s how to do it…

1. Click your profile picture in your Google+ menu bar, at the top of your page

2. Select “Account Settings”

3. Select “Google+”

4. Scroll to the bottom and customize your “Google+ Pages” settings

 Here is where updating your page with fresh content really becomes part of a vital strategy.

Step Four: Creating a Badge

Creating a Google+ Badge for your site is not the same as creating a +1 button, so don’t confuse the two. You can simultaneously create your badge and your page; or you can copy-paste your page URL into the box provided:

Continuing down the page, you will select the size of badge you prefer…

Step Five: Google+ Direct Connect

This is the ultimate goal you are aiming for, when it comes to boosting your Google+ and Google+ Page rankings. Google freely admits eligibility is “determined algorithmically”, based on:

• Relevance

• Popularity

The most crucial defining factor is the number of links between your site and Google+ Page. If you have followed the previous steps, you are already well on your way to becoming eligible. All you need to do is:

• Regularly interact with Google+, supplying relevant contact (Links, posts, keywords)

• Pay diligent attention to ensuring your content is not only relevant, but original and valuable too

• Educate your audience (especially those you network with) about Direct Connect and how it works. They’ll particularly need to know that the option to sign into Google+ so they can add your page to their Circles is only offered the first time they visit your Page — after that it has to be added manually, which reduces the chance they’ll do so

Once Google perceives your value, you stand a much better chance of being admitted to the hallowed halls of Direct Connect.

This brings us to our last step (until Google+ rolls out more features)…

Step Six: Promote Your Page!

Television long ago learned the secret to engaging viewers and netting high conversions: Namely, spelling out the obvious and telling viewers exactly what to do next.

And just as TV ads also employ the principle of repetition, you must realize that promoting your +Page is an ongoing responsibility.

Here’s how you can encourage your visitors and subscribers to spread the word:

1. Share your posts — but remember, even if you share a post from your Google+ Page, those in your Circle will actually see it as coming from your Profile.) And keep your content as consistent as your daily involvement: Remember your main area of focus and use your best keywords, as naturally as possible.

2. Link your Page and your website or blog. You may think you’ve already done this, if you’ve installed your Google+ Button on your site — but it’s actually a two-step process, to be effective: You also have to add your site to your Profile!

Here’s how to do it, using a current browser such as Google Chrome…

• In your browser, find your picture and select it (the top right corner)

• Select “Profile”

• In your Profile, select the “About” tab

• Select “Links” and then “Add a Custom Link”

• Enter (a) a Title (b) your URL

• Save

(If you can’t see “Links”, selecting “Edit Profile” and placing your link in the “Introduction” will work just as well.)

3. Link your Google+ Page to your AdWords campaigns — Do it by making sure you include your +1 button in your ads.

4. Post Consistently — Regular updates and fresh content will add to your Google value. This will help build a firmer foundation for your +Page

Along the way, as you grow more familiar with your Google+ Profile and Page, you’ll discover other ways you can help boost your +Page popularity: Enabling Google+ for Mobile (if you have the right type of phone, for example; as well as joining the Preview Platform so you can receive advance improvements ahead of the crowd.

Become familiar with the refinements available through Google Support Plus. Be sure also to actively report bugs and provide feedback to Google+ (as well as never promoting your Page with the same dirty-pool, emotional blackmailing techniques that Facebook users quickly learned to employ).

The more you engage and bring quality to your Google+ Page, the more directly you will be rewarded in Google SEO.

It’s true that “you get out of it what you put in” — but fortunately with Google+ Pages, these six basic steps provide a solid foundation to help you easily and effectively get started.

Continue reading: How to Setup a Google+ Page for your Business

Exciting times at Google — not only have they just released Google+ to the public, but they’ve now added Google+ Business Pages.

So how can you, as an internet entrepreneur, take advantage of this new internet resource… and should you? Before you rush to set up a page, it may help to take a look at the pros and cons…

Comparing Facebook Pages with Google+ Business Pages

Google+’s Pages feature has only just been launched, so any comparison with Facebook Pages will probably be redundant by the time you read this, since new features are being added to Pages on an ongoing basis.

Your biggest reason for setting up a Business Page in Google+ should be not only to take advantage of powerful Google SEO, but to reach targeted customers or clients who hate and avoid Facebook — and this number is growing daily, thanks to Facebook changes such as the inability to prevent Facebook from broadcasting what you are doing online, moment by moment!

Facebook’s relevance is also taking a downslide at the moment, thanks to all the changes it recently instituted. Friends are “disappearing” thanks to involuntary settings changes (and most aren’t even aware you now can’t see them). Irrelevant posts seem to be on the increase. And there’s generally a lot of confusion.

The worst part about Facebook pages? “Out of sight, out of mind”, says V. A., Isobel Henderson. “You really like somebody’s page, but then you get busy, and forget they have it. Seems like you have to manually visit a page, to connect with it again, and that means making a conscious effort. Who has the time? Too busy!”

Early reactions gleaned from the net about Google+ Business Pages:

• “Google+ page is way better, simple and clean than Facebook pages”

• “Stop comparing them: G+ is not Facebook.”

• “I think the positive thing is actually that the Google+ IS SO SIMPLE AND USER FRIENDLY to users and customers. Google gets what maybe only Apple gets also… No stupid irrelevant stuff.”

• “The biggest disadvantage I see to the Facebook Business page is that I don’t use Facebook. So if the WWE wants to reach me socially, they’re going to have to do it through G+ regardless of how uncluttered it is.”

• “If you like the big mess in FB, maybe is because you live that way. I don´t need a bunch of ads in my screen. I like to choose whom I want to follow and from [whom] I want info. FB to me, is a bunch of teens shouting the world they´re there. I really hope that G+ never turns into another Facebook. Maybe FB need to learn a lot from G+.”

• “The addition of Pages will be a big boost in G+ usage IMHO.  I know I’ll likely be using G+ a lot more now that I am finally able to set up a Page.  For personal use though, all my family and friends are on FB, not G+, so G+ holds little to no value for me in that respect.”

• “I really love how Google allows for non-profits to set up a Page!”

• “…NASA got amazingly cool timing because of the asteroid coming towards earth has gotten lots of coverage and NASA’s profile already is very useful source on that topic. The interaction is amazing in Google+ especially because the You Tube interaction is so relevant often on discussion about recent news and future news.”

The underlying point of these comments seems to be that Facebook is losing control and turning into another MySpace or Yahoo. In fact, seeing “disturbing or controversial Yahoo headline links” appended to peoples’ posts is the reason two business acquaintances of mine have recently “switched” from Facebook to Google+ in the last week alone.

“You can’t switch [Yahoo headlines] off or `hide’ them, the way you used to be able to hide posts from sources you didn’t like,” explained one. Commented the other: “Well, you can switch them off — but Yahoo posts enable themselves again immediately.”

Given the changing currents of social networking, why not set up your Google+ Business Page while it’s still simple to do so? Who knows — maybe getting in on the ground floor will enable you to retain early features you like that are later “grandfathered” (like those animated profile photos on Twitter that a few people still cling to, but the rest of us now can’t create — even supposing we were animators, which would make them highly relevant!)

Which Network Is For You?

One other factor to take into account, when deciding whether or not to invest time in setting up Google+ Pages — one often doesn’t use social networks to directly attract clients or customers. It’s usually more about networking.

Current buzz seems to indicate that there’s a shift in Facebook as the primary network. LinkedIn has gained serious ground… and so has Google+.

Among the items at Inside GPlus, you can see frequently-updated results measuring the comparative popularity of Google Plus, Facebook and Twitter. (Be sure to add GPlus to your circle. You’ll find lots of real-time tracking feedback there.)

While everything is in a state of flux, why not set up pages on both Facebook and Google+… then see which one brings you the strongest results?

What You Need to Know about Google+ Business Pages

Before you rush to do that, however, here’s the lowdown on what you can expect…

1. Setting up your Google+ Page is currently an easy process, and will take you only a few minutes

2. You need to have a Google account. If you don’t already have one, you can create one right now or when you go to create your page

3. You can type “+” in front of any company name and instantly get a listing of their Pages

4. Google pages are linked with Google search, which provide a one-key shortcut to Google+ Pages within the query box

5. It integrates with Google+ Circles, making Page sharing easy

6. You can create multiple Google+ Pages, if you have more than one business

7. There are “lots” of “improvements” slated in the near future for Google+ Pages, according to Vic Gundotra, senior VP of engineering

8. Google+ Pages are ideal for branding, since Branding has its own separate category

As with any new network, Google+ still has some glitches, as well as a way to go towards seamless web power and integration. Here are seven of the most reported problems you might encounter or need to prepare for (and circumvent, when possible)…

Current Google+ Drawbacks

1. Vanity URLs — Google states flatly that vanity URLs will not be available for Pages. They offer instead “verification badges”, but these are not comparable to vanity URLs, since they operate as “security mechanisms”, not identifiers.

You cannot apply for a verification badge: Google decides whether or not you merit one and arbitrarily awards them at their pleasure.

Verification badges are Google’s way of letting searchers know that “a site is legitimate”. The motivation for creating them is eliminate impersonation — but since Google arbitrarily decides who is legitimate, there is a risk of an impersonator receiving the verification badge.

2. Multiple Page Managers — Says Google, “Currently, only one person can own, post as, and edit a page.” You can now create multiple Business and Branding pages, but if you have already set up a page for a company you work for that is owned by someone else and want to transfer ownership (since maintaining it means the company would have access to your gmail and Google account), this would cause a problem: Ownership cannot be transferred.

The current fix? Delete the page and create a new one. But Google is making noises about the ability to transfer ownership “coming soon”.

3. Google Places Integration — Right now, there is no integration, but it’s vital to keep your Google Places updated and current if geo-targeting is part of your marketing strategy, since if the information is there, Google will use it (current or not). It’s up to you to make sure Google is not using outdated data: Keeping Places current means local search and Google Maps will be accurately displayed.

Google does plan to integrate the two, in future.

4. Google Login — Do be careful, when operating from Google+. Make sure you don’t post miscellaneous content on your actual Google+ page, if you have different logins for you and your company. Already many people have been careless, and admitted to getting egg on their faces by posting to the wrong area under the wrong login.

Google is public. And that can be a drawback, as well as a plus — no pun intended. (N.B.: It will even “ignore” robots.txt file “no follow” instructions.)

5. Google Apps — You can’t currently add apps to your Google+ page. But it’s not clairvoyance to predict that will change fairly soon.

6. Google+ Confusion — One problem many people seem to have is confusing their Google+ Profile with their Google+ Page. Knowing the differences between your + Profile and your + Page should help you manage each with more confidence…

7. +1 Button Error Warnings — This problem only seems to occur on pages with a secure “https:” designation; also on older browsers, so do test your new button-optimised page in an older one too. If your “https:” site generates an error message or warning, first look at the snippet of code Google gave you, when you created your button. Make sure your button code actually uses “https:” too. (Currently, automatically generated code always assumes your site page begins with “http:”)

Correcting the code snippet usually does the trick. If your page is still generating warnings on search, make sure your site contains this script:

<script src="//apis.google.com/js/plusone.js"></script>

You can find these tips (and many others) in the Google+ Help section.

Now let’s take a look at current Google+ advantages — particularly as they apply to Google+ Pages…

Current Google+ Advantages

1. Google +1 Button — One of your biggest potential advantages in creating a Google+ Page will lie in Google’s latest feature, the “+1″ button.

It can’t really be compared to Facebook’s “Like” button, but since you will most likely do that anyway, here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two features…

The end result of the way Facebook’s “Like” button is set up has resulted in a lack of respect for “Like” results:

Everyone knows that a good portion of those “Likes” were not truly value-driven. People pressed the “Like” button to support friends, gain networking favour or because misleading ads triggered them with emotional wording. For example, “Everyone who likes Harry Potter, Like us” — this seen on an ad that led to a site that had nothing to do with Harry Potter — but with Google’s +1 button, there is no artificial weighting. It’s set up so that people press it because they truly like the content.

Granted, you can up the chances of gaining +1 endorsements by educating your website visitors, social network followers and email subscribers about the existence of the Google +1 button, but everyone is soon going to be totally familiar with it.

And only add it to public pages (accessible to everyone).

2. Google+ Badges — Not to be confused with the Verification badge! You can easily add a Google+ badge to your website(s) via a simple process you’ll be walked through when you create your page.

You can choose between several styles of badge: Standard badge, Small badge, Small icon, Medium icon, Large icon and No Badge. The Medium Icon is shown below…

If you know you will speedily generate a number of approvals via your +1 icon or badge and have multiple pages or sites, you may wish to choose the standard badge:

3. Google+ Direct Connect — This feature is already making a difference to the effectiveness of searching Google+ pages — though, right now, it seems to not always work. All you do to access Direct Connect is type a plus sign before the company name you wish to connect with: For example:

You will then be taken directly to YouTube’s Google+ page, instead of to all the search listings available. (If you only want search listings, don’t type the “+” in front of the name, of course.)

You’ll see the page like this:

You can add that particular page immediately to your circles, as well as easily share it, via the “Share this page” button…

Google admits there are some problems at this time with Direct Connect, but quickly states it hopes to make the option fully functional as soon as possible.

4. Google+ for Mobile — Apps are provided for several main devices, including the Android, iPhone and Blackberry. Although not specifically geared for Google+ pages yet, the fact that people can share and access Google+ via mobile automatically increases its value.

How to Increase Your Google+ Page Value

In spite of the fact various features are glitchy or not yet active, you can increase your Google+ Page value (especially with Direct Connect by cross-connecting. All this means is:

• Placing the Google+ badge or icon on your site

• Adding your website link to your page

Other ways you can increase your +Page value:

• Actively use Google Hangouts (video chat drop-in)

• Maintain a daily presence via Google+

• Update and add to your Google Circles

• Upload YouTube videos and post the links on your page and websites

• Upload videos to Google+ and share them via your page:

• Move your Google+ Page fans directly into your Circles. (This seems to create automatic engagement!)

• Make sure you have a Circle named “Following”

• Make sure your site contains the “+1″ button, as well as your badge or icon. (This will require a separate snippet of code to that of badges/icons.)

• Publicise your page. Share it with your Circles and Hangouts. Share it on social networks and in your blog posts and forum posts. Include it as part of your contact information

• Upload photos, as well as videos. (GPlus offers some interesting statistics about Google+ photo uploads.)

• Educate your readers, subscribers and visitors. Remember the Golden Rule of marketing: S-p-e-l-l things out and include calls to action (telling your readers what to do next)

• Remember that although Google+ Pages may “feel like Facebook”, they do have the huge advantage — and disadvantage — of open search via Google. Follow the tips in this report to ensure Google ranks your page as highly as possible!

Remember: The more active you are via Google+, the higher value Google’s algorithm currently seems to ascribe.

Google Adwords Advantage

If you use AdWords PPC advertising, you’ll love this further way to boost your Google+ page rank and garner more “likes”. Google has enabled AdWords so that people can +1 your Page, right from your ad — so be the +1 button is included within your ad.

Google+ Platform Preview

Another way to boost your value to Google’s search algorithm (and indirectly boost your Page status): Join the Platform Preview for advance news and information about upcoming changes and features.

Becoming a member of Platform Preview puts you on a “preferred” list, enabling you to automatically preview all the latest changes, features and updates to Google+ (including your Google+ page) before the rest of the world has access.

You can customise your contact options, from viewing the group on the web only to receiving daily emails, if you prefer… but note that you must use a Gmail address, if you want any previews to work.

Google+ For Your Blog

Yes, you can create a separate Google+ Page for your blog — even if it’s on Blogger and not hosted on your own separate WordPress site.

Branding Via Your Google+ Page

Opinions are currently split on how effective Google+ Pages are going to be, when it comes to branding your business.

For starters, currently only one person (with one login) can manage a Brand page and it’s attached to one account. Sure, you can give people the login information — but if you’ve set it up with your personal login, you most likely won’t want them to have access to all your Google activities!

Do read the Google Page Terms of Service before setting up your Brand page. It sets out explicitly what you can and cannot do. Here is just one small section…

Another tip: Don’t work with both your personal account and your Brand account within the same browser. Ideally, it’s best to:

• Manage each on separate browsers

• Completely log out of one, before accessing the other

If branding is your primary purpose for creating a Google+ Page, do make sure you select “Product or Brand” as your Page Category:

Finally, do remember to actively use Circles to connect with other Brand pages (so they will +1 your own).

Upcoming Google+ Page Features

Among some of the improvements Google says it is planning, you can look forward to integrating:

• Analytics

• Documents

• Maps

• Places

(But still no vanity URLs!)

It’s important to remember that Google+ Pages for business, brands and non-profits are still brand new and very much in a Beta state (as is Google+ itself). But getting in on the ground floor will help your Page rank soar while others are still waking up to all Google+’s possibilities.

To your success!

Continue reading: Guide to Google+ Business Pages

There are heaps of people out there selling backlinks trying to make you believe they have some sort of secret sauce for finding those coveted, yet elusive high quality links from government and education sites.

I’m going to give you everything you need to find them yourselves – hundreds of them (possibly thousands) in a matter of seconds.

Here’s how..

Go to Google and type in the following (copy and paste):

site:edu inurl:blog "leave a comment" -"comments closed" -"you must be logged in to comment"

It looks like gibberish to the uninformed.. but now you can consider yourself “informed“!

I will explain what each of these parameters mean,

• site:edu   -   means Google will only display search results from sites with a .edu extension
• inurl:blog   -   means your results will only show blogs that are located on those .edu domains
• “leave a comment”   -   means your search results will only show blogs on .edu domains that have comment forms
• -”comments closed”   -   Note the “-”, that means your search results will NOT display blogs where commenting is closed
• -”you must be logged in to comment”   -   There’s that “-” again. It means your search results will exclude blogs where you need to be logged in to leave comments.

To expand on this a little, if you only want to find blogs on .gov domains that have open comments, just replace site:edu with site:gov in your search string,

site:gov inurl:blog "leave a comment" -"comments closed" -"you must be logged in to comment"

Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with your search strings.

You can add or remove any of the elements in the above search string and you’ll get different results. Add your main keywords for the page you need backlinks for if you want to get specific.

Use this for your advantage!

More Golden Nuggets

Here are some more cool parameters for you, that you can use to find TONS of websites where you can leave comments:

1. Find .EDU and .GOV blogs where you can get links. Use the following search strings but where it says “keyword phrase” be sure to change that to one of the keywords relating to your blog or website, leaving it inside quotation marks.

• “keyword phrase”+inurl:blog site:.edu
• “keyword phrase”+inurl:blog site:.gov
• “keyword phrase”
• site:.edu inurl:blog “keyword” “comment”

2. Search and sift through the results to find sites that allow comments on their blogs. This shows that other people are successfully using this strategy and to go ahead and add your comment and link to your website.

3. Build your list of websites that you could comment on (or outsource this) to create a database of .EDU and .GOV backlinks you can use.

4. Comment on these blogs. Be informed, be kind, and stay on topic. Doing a couple minutes of research and posting relevant helpful information will increase your success tenfold. At the very least, put some thought into a contextual post that fits in with what is being discussed. If you don’t do this, you may completely waste your time.

5. When you make a comment, put in your information, then put in your HTML link. Don’t overdo this. Spread out your comments over time and bookmark a lot of the sites that you comment on regularly. Instead of concentrating solely on one keyword and linking to your homepage over and over again, spread it among different categories, posts, and pages in your blog. Look for some of the longer tail keywords you can link to directly to some of the inner pages of your website to get more bandwidth.

Social Bookmarking Software

I have just shown you how to get an endless supply of EDU or GOV backlinks.. all for free!

If you are time poor there is an alternative way.. an automated way.

Bookmarking Demon is an automated social bookmarking tool that enables you to get an unlimited supply of high PR back links and laser targeted traffic from major bookmarking sites.. in minutes, and all on autopilot.

Leave your comments below and let me know what you think. I’m happy to hear your feedback!

Have we connected on Facebook?

Continue reading: How to Find an Endless Supply of .EDU and .GOV Backlinks for Free

I have written previously about short or custom URL – which you may find useful,

• How to Create a Custom Short URL using Bit.ly Pro
• Su.pr – StumbleUpon’s URL shortener
• Add a Vanity URL to Your Facebook Page

This post shows another way you can create a custom URL for your Google+ account.

Login to your Google+ account > then click on your name,

Copy the long string of numbers in the URL (this is your Google+ userID),

Head over to gplus.to,

Choose a short name > enter your Google+ userID > click on <Add>,

Done!

Your Google+ short URL has just been created,

As you can see, the short URL I have created for my Google+ account is – http://gplus.to/matthewtommasi

Certainly looks a lot better than that long string of numbers!

Finally..

If you liked this post please register to receive The Social Media Guide’s free newsletter that’s packed with tips, guide, downloads and more!

Continue reading: How to Make a Custom URL for Google+

Many are predicting that it could dethrone Facebook the same way that Facebook dethroned MySpace.

It may be too early for such lofty predictions, but it is clear that Google+ is already starting to gain notice, and it has the potential to be a powerful player in social media.

Here are some ways that you can take advantage of its new features to promote your business (assuming you can get an invite):

 +Circles

Google+ allows you to organize friends into circles — such as acquaintances, co-workers, and so on.

Users can then choose which groups to share information with, allowing for greater privacy and control over the flow of information.

Businesses can easily use circles to identify demographics and to target information and marketing.

Promotions can be advertised to only those users who would find them most relevant, making marketing strategies more efficient.

+Hangouts

Hangouts are video chat groups that allow you to talk to up to 10 friends at once.

Video chat options provide a great opportunity for businesses to connect directly with customers.

One-on-one video chats would be ideal for resolving customer conflicts, allowing businesses to offer a more personalized approach.

Group video chats offer great opportunities to conduct exclusive workshops or to roll out exclusive promotions to VIP customers.

+Sparks

Perhaps the most useful of all Google Plus’ features is +Sparks, which allows users to suggest news stories, videos, photos, and more to specific users or groups rather than automatically posting it to everyone.

This allows for targeted marketing opportunities by focusing on those users who would find your content most useful.

Other Features

Google+ is already winning praise for its increased security and privacy controls. For example, you are automatically signed in to an https server, ensuring a more secure connection. This is extra assurance for those businesses that handle sensitive information or that handle credit card payments or donations.

Privacy is also more assured as you have more control over who sees what information. Photos and videos are automatically marked private until you select who can see them. This is especially useful for businesses by giving them greater control over their brand and their messaging.

Overall, Google+ appears to be making social networking a more streamlined process that could have a great impact with its simplicity.

What are your thoughts on the new Google+?

Have you received an invite and had a chance to evaluate its features? What do you think its uses will be for businesses?

This article was written by Maria Rainier.

Maria is a freelance writer and blogger for First in Education where she’s recently written about credit analyst careers along with a guide to photography degree programs. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, travelling, and working with origami.

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A lot of people still don’t fully utilise the more powerful search features Google has to offer.

The information you need is already on the internet.. it is just a matter of filtering it out when you search.

Here are ten of my favourite Google search tricks.

Literally

You can narrow down your search by using double quotation marks.

Using double quotation marks will allow you to search for that literal phrase.

eg, if I search for,

• big red car

Google will return close to 14 million results,

In this example Google will return pages that contain the words,

• big red car
• big red
• big car
• red car
• big
• red
• car

If I want to search literally for the phrase big red car, it is just a matter of using double quotation marks,

As you can see the number of returned results is about 94,6oo.

By using double quotation marks in this example, all the pages returned contain the literal phrase big red car.

I use this search method on a daily basis.

Searching Within a Site

Let’s say you want to limit your search within a particular site.

Maybe it is a news site or a popular blog and you want to search within.. for the required content.

This is achieved by the site: operator.

eg, if you want to search for all Twitter articles within Mashable then you would use,

• site:mashable.com twitter

All the returned results have been pulled from that site only.

This is particularly handy if you need to search within news sites for certain content.

Searching for Files

It is very easy to search for files such as,

• PDFs
• MS Word Document (doc)
• MS Excel spreadsheet (xls)
• Text files (txt)
• etc

This is achieved by using the filetype: operator.

Let’s say you are updating your resume and you want some examples to base your’s off.

Searching for,

• resume filetype:pdf

Will result in PDF files that contain the word resume,

Spell Checking

Don’t know how to spell a word?

Just type it into Google and if it is wrong Google will suggest the correct spelling instead,

Using Google as a Calculator

Can’t find your calculator? Then use Google.

Just type in the calculation you want performed and Google will do the number crunching,

You can read more about how to use the Google calculator here.

Finding Out the Time

If you want to know what the time is for a particular city, just type in time + city name,

Weather

If you want to know what the temperature is for your city, just type in weather + city name,

Not..

I probably use the negative search operator the most out of the ones mentioned in this post.

By pre-pending a search term with a minus sign, you are telling Google that you don’t want results with this keyword.

For example, let’s say I want to search for the name Barack.. but I don’t want results containing the name Obama.

I would use,

This search trick can be very powerful when filtering your results.

Define

What does _____ mean?

Using the define: operator you can easily find out the definitions of words,

Similar Pages

When you click on the “Similar Pages” link for a search result, Google automatically scouts the web for pages that are related to this result,

The Similar Pages feature can be used for many purposes. If you like a particular site’s content, but wish it had more to say, Similar Pages can find sites with similar content with which you may be unfamiliar.

If you are looking for product information, Similar Pages can find competitive information so you can make direct comparisons. If you are interested in researching a particular field, Similar Pages can help you find a large number of resources very quickly, without having to worry about selecting the right keywords.

Other Google Search Resources

• Google Web Search Features
• Explore Google Search
• Google Search Basics: Basic Search Help
• Google Search Basics: More Search Help

Tip!

If your homepage is set to Google’s standard search.. why not change it to Google’s advanced search?

Doing so will open up the web for you considerably.

If you are a Twitter user my Guide to Advanced Twitter Search may also be of benefit.

What are your favourite Google search tricks? Please leave a comment below..

Finally..

If you liked this post please register to receive The Social Media Guide’s free newsletter that’s packed with tips, guide, downloads and more!

Enjoy!

Continue reading: 10 Simple Google Search Tricks

What is a browser?

What is the difference between a search engine and a browser?

What is the difference between Google and a browser?

These are the questions a Google employee asked passers-by in Times Square, New York.. surprisingly only 8% of the people gave correct answers.

If you work in IT Tech Support you will be shaking your head.

But this video just highlights the fact that there is still a need for awareness and education about the internet, browsers, social media and technology in general.

So What is a Browser?

Google explains what a web browser is in this video,

Finally..

Just for a bit of fun, can you please answer the question,

Which of these is not a web browser?

Please leave your answer in the comments below.

Enjoy!

Continue reading: What is a Browser?

The more the better.

Especially when it is sustained and growing traffic.. and not just peaking for a one-off post.

While researching SEO, I came across this great video on DailyBlog Tips that shows how you can get thousands of visitors from Google,

Video Highlights:

Market Samurai

Google’s keyword tool is quite powerful when you know how to use it for your blog posts.

The tool I use for keyword research is Market Samurai.

It’s like the Google tool but on STEROIDS!

After hearing about a bunch of first-time internet marketing “newbies”, using this TOP SECRET Market Samurai software to easily capture,

1. Google front-page rankings
2. Traffic and sales in their first few weeks online

I had to check it out.

Number One in Google

Market Samurai helped The Social Media Guide get to number ONE in Google,

Instant Access

I was so impressed by this software I worked out a deal to give you INSTANT ACCESS to download it at NO COST.. to see for yourself just how powerful it is,

If you want the secret to quick, profitable, high traffic Google rankings – the secret is finding the “right” keywords..

Market Samurai will help you achieve just that.. it did for me!

Finally..

If you liked this post please register to receive The Social Media Guide’s free newsletter that’s packed with tips, guides, downloads and more!

Enjoy!

Continue reading: How to Get Thousands of Visitors from Google

A well optimized website (or post) can mean the difference between appearing at the number one position (or on the first page) in Google’s results for a particular keyword and getting thousands of visitors.. and appearing  on page 200 of Google’s results and getting no visitors.

(A tool I personally use and recommend for keyword analysis and discovery is Market Samurai.)

The higher your website  appears in Google’s results, the more traffic will be funneled your way and the more sales you will get.. it is as simple as that.

Search engine optimization or SEO  can sometimes seem like a daunting task, but when you know what you are doing it is really quite simple.

Thankfully, Google has recently updated their free search engine optimization starter guide, which gives a fantastic rundown of,

• SEO basics
• Improving site structure
• Optimizing content
• Dealing with crawlers
• SEO for mobile phones
• Promotion and analysis

This SEO guide makes the optimization process a breeze.

Please feel free to download and share!

Finally..

Enjoy!

Continue reading: Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide

Google Buzz has quickly gained millions of users since it was released on the 9th February 2010.

With Google Buzz you can,

• publish your ideas to the world or to your closest friends
• it is integrated with Gmail so comments get sent right to your inbox
• you can see photo friendly thumbnails with each post
• connect the sites you already used like Twitter, Picasa, Flickr, Google Reader (currently not Facebook)
• see updates in real-time

Here is a list of 52 Google Buzz resources with heaps of tips and tricks that you might find useful.

Tips and Tricks

1. 4 Google Buzz Hacks for Users, Developers, and Haters – ReadWriteWeb
2. 5 Buzz Tips – The Official GMail Blog
3. 5 Google Buzz Tips for the Advanced User – ReadWriteWeb
4. 5 tips for Google Buzz - JortK
5. 11 Fresh Google Buzz wordpress plugins – SocialH
6. 11 handy Google Buzz tips - TechRadarUK
7. 12 Undocumented Tricks for Google Buzz – Aext.net
8. Add Google “Buzz This” and “Buzz it” buttons to your Blogger blog – IntroBlogger
9. Buzzy – A Search Engine for Buzz – Buzzy
10. Disable Google Buzz and Lose Your Google Profile? – Marsha Collier’s Musing
11. Enable or Disable Google Buzz – Techie-Buzz
12. First Generation Of Google Buzz Tips, Tricks And Resources – SmashingApps
13. Five Tips to Thrive on Google Buzz - JungleG
14. Google Buzz 101 – Search Engine Watch
15. Google Buzz: A Privacy Checklist – PCWorld
16. Google Buzz Add-ons and Extensions - TechnoBuzz
17. Google Buzz API – Google Code
18. Google Buzz Button For WordPress – WordPress
19. Google Buzz Monitoring – Tins – Rick Klau’s weblog
20. Google Buzz Tips – Buzzed Tip
21. Google Buzz Tips – GoogleSystem
22. Google Buzz Tips – MashTrends
23. Google Buzz Tips and Tricks – WebWorkerDaily
24. Google Buzz Extensions for Google Chrome – Google Chrome
25. Google Buzz FAQ – Search Engine People
26. Google Buzz Trick – Doghouse,



27. Google makes it easier to disable Buzz - Cnet
28. Google New Buzz Tips & Methods - Automotive News
29. How to Bring Your Google Buzz Entries to Twitter – Louis Gray
30. How to browse Google Buzz on a map without a mobile phone – The Next Web
31. How to Disable Google Buzz - Google System
32. How to Do Everything in Google Buzz (Including Turn It Off) - FastCompany
33. How to Fix Google Buzz – Google Moderator
34. How to Google Buzz from an Email client such as Thunder Bird or Outlook Express? - Zamaan Online
35. How to import your tweets into Google Buzz – DotNet Japs
36. HOW TO: Integrate Google Buzz Into Your WordPress Blog – Mashable
37. How to integrate Twitter and Facebook into Gmail – HolyKaw
38. HOW TO: Make a Google Buzz Desktop App – Mashable
39. How to Pull Your Google Buzz with jQuery – Aext.net
40. How To Search Google Buzz – Search Engine Land
41. How to Turn Off Google Buzz – The Technology Guide
42. How to use Buzz – Gmail Help
43. How to use Google Buzz ? – A Complete Guide To Google’s New Social Network – iCore
44. How To Use Google Buzz, The Unofficial (and Frequently Updated) Guide – The Next Web
45. How to use Google Buzz – Tips – The Technology Guide
46. Import Your Twitter Contacts Into Google Buzz - Tw2buzz
47. Integrating Posterous and Google Buzz – Posterous
48. More Google Buzz Tips, Resources, Extensions, and Icons to Keep You Buzzed – Aext.net
49. Radian6’s Social Media Monitoring Platform Now Tracks Google Buzz – Radian6
50. Remove Buzz from your Gmail Sent Folder – Fors
51. Tips about Google Buzz - MaximumHit
52. Ultimate List of Tips And Tricks for Google Buzz - Techie-Buzz

8 Google Buzz Videos

Official Google Buzz Video

Google Buzz for Mobile

Google Buzz Launch Event

Why Google Needs Buzz – Kevin Rose

Google Buzz: Tour and Overview

Sergy Brin Talks About Google Buzz

Google Buzz Ad Parody

Google Buzz Set-up Video Tour

Finally..

If you liked this post please register to receive The Social Media Guide’s free newsletter that’s packed with tips, guides and more!

Most of these posts are available to download for free as PDFs for registered members.

Please help spread the word by becoming a fan of The Social Media Guide on Facebook,

And following me on Twitter,

Enjoy!

Continue reading: 52 Google Buzz Tips and Tricks