Google+ is no more. Did you notice?
That that’s even a question is perhaps the best answer as to why Google+ is no more. Indeed, when Google pulled the plug in early April on its ill-fated attempt at a social network to compete with Facebook, it was the latest reminder that even the biggest and most successful companies can suffer failures. Google+ never attracted the users or activity needed to become relevant as a social platform. Combined with a serious data breach affecting an estimated 500,000 users that only came to light months after the fact, Google last year made the decision to shut down the beleaguered platform.
Some business owners have asked us how this will impact their digital marketing efforts. The answer for most: not much. At this point, the main thing you should do is ensure that you have removed all the Google+ sharing icons and links from your website, your email sig and any printed marketing materials.
Need help? We're here.
At ALINE, we stopped creating Google+ accounts for our clients months ago, instead focusing efforts on Google My Business. The social messaging tools on Google+ never came close to approaching the level of engagement of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. And while the platform initially was useful as part of an overall SEO strategy, the enhancement of the Google My Business platform eventually made Google+ of very little utility.
ALINE ensures all our clients have claimed their Google My Business listing as part of an overall SEO strategy. The GMB platform is arguably the single most important directory in terms of ensuring your business is listed and found by people searching for your business or the services/products it provides.
We emphasize to clients that Google My Business posts are important to utilize for SEO and potential customer engagement. While GMB is not a social network, the functionality allows for 1,500 characters and options to post images, offers and other calls to action. These opportunities for sharing good content are definitely worth taking advantage of and keeping in mind as you build and execute an inbound marketing strategy. If you need help managing Google My Business or developing your marketing strategy, give us a call. We'd love to help.
