Anyone involved in online marketing knows that maintaining multiple social network pages is essential for increased visibility and SERPs. As a latecomer to the game, Google+ still mystifies some people, especially when it comes to using Google+ for SEO. At its core, Google+ is exactly like every other social network.It aims to connect communities through sharing great content, commenting on posts, and following those within your circle. Of the dozens of ways to optimize Google+ for SEO, here are the seven most crucial points.
1. Post share-worthy content to attract natural links
Content is king, no matter what you are posting, be it a blog, an author page, or a 20-character update. Don’t just send a link out into the ether of the internet; add additional value with unique commentary and relevant information. Consider adding shareable, linkable context that encourages people to comment, repost, and +1 the page. Your Google+ page shouldn’t replace your personal blog, but sometimes just a few lines of context transform a bare link into a widely-read post.
2. Improve SERPs with more +1s
Recent reports have shown that Google+ has the ability to impact SERPs in ways that most other social networks cannot. Whenever a user posts to their Google+ page, Google immediately indexes the post in order to make it more searchable. The +1’s that the post attracts are indexed as well, which creates instant, organic link backs. Every +1 that your post gathers adds to a natural link-building network, which helps boost your rankings. So how do you get more +1’s? Read on to point number three.
3. Fill your Google+ profile with relevant and engaging information
Again: content is king. No amount of strategies and tricks is going to convince readers to +1 poorly written, boring content. The information you provide in your profile also plays a role in whether Google suggests others to follow you.
4. Add Google authorship information to your online content
There are dozens of tutorials on adding rel=”author” to your website. If you guest post or otherwise contribute content to other high quality sites, ask the publisher if they will add author markup to your bio. By putting a name to your page, Google Authorship can increase your click through rate, which will factor back into your SERP.
5. Use rel=”publisher” to connect your website to your Google+ brand page
On a related noted, make sure your website is connected to your Google+ profile page. Remember, the logical goal of SEO is to show search engines that your site is relevant and legitimate. Connecting sites helps Google know that visitors to one will probably have an interest in the other.
6. Link out to all relevant profiles from your Google+ “About” page
All of your social networking sites should be linked to one another in order to increase the relevancy mentioned above. Google+ can acts as an effective primary hub for your online brand. It makes it easy to link to other online profiles, sites to which you contribute, and sites that you want to share.
7. Make your content easy to share on Google+ with relevant social sharing buttons
Don’t be stubborn about adding sharing buttons to your content. If someone wants to share your post, make it easy for them! Make sure to choose strategically; not every sharing button is ideal for every business. Do your research, make sure the buttons are visible, and enjoy the traffic bump when people follow those shares back to your site.