7 Steps to Getting Started with Google+

Speculation on what effects Google’s very own social media platform will have on search results has been rampant since its launch. Recently, Google boss Eric Schmidt spoke with the Wall Street Journal for and article on his new book, ‘The New Digital Age.’ An important excerpt reads:

“Within search results, information tied to verified online profiles will be ranked higher than content without such verification, which will result in most users naturally clicking on the top (verified) results. The true cost of remaining anonymous, then, might be irrelevance.”

This validates the concerns and speculations of those working in social media and search engine optimization, as well as reinforces the need for organizations to get involved on the platform. This is certainly important to those who are concerned with their site’s visibility on Google.

Here are a few steps you can take to get started with Google+:

Sign up – The process is very simple if you are already using Gmail, but not a challenge at all if you don’t. It takes only a few minutes. Use your email address to create an account and log in. It is important to remember that there needs to be a personal Google+ account to create a Google+ Page for your business. You can add more administrators later.

Add your images – Google+ accounts allow for a square photo (can be cropped) for an avatar and a skinny cover photo. The optimum cover photo size is 890 x 180 pixels and the avatar is 250×250 pixels.

Complete your bio – Add as much or as little information as you want about yourself.

Create your business page – Google+ has created an easy to use wizard for creating your business page. First you select what category and sub category your business fits into.

Next, you choose a name and also link your page to your main website. At this point you will have to read and agree to the page terms of service if you wish to proceed.

Then, you can add your images as you did with your personal profile.

Complete the Business profile – Be sure to enter your business name, location and hours. Also, make sure not to miss the description.

Verify your account – Google will want to verify your page. They will send a postcard to your location to verify ownership.

Start Exploring – Try out the unique features of Google+, like Hangouts, and post links to some of your best content to your page.

For extra credit, you can connect with Galvin Technologies on our Google+ page.