Internet Marketing Newsletter

Edition 13 , November 2011

The Google Plus Issue Since Google Plus was first launched earlier this year, there has been a constant debate whether it is useful or not, whether people or businesses should create profiles and whether they can create a positive ROI from the network as on other social media channels. Since many of our clients have asked about Google Plus, we decided to put together a Google Plus Issue to give you an overview. In this issue you’ll find:

• An Introduction To Google Plus • Opportunities on Google Plus • Google Plus Profiles Vs Pages • 4 Ways To Get More From Your Google Plus Marketing • Why Google Plus Is Important For SEO

As always, if you also have feedback, suggestions for future articles, or want to send us any other comments, simply email info@eminentonlinemarketing.com.au Until next month,

Janna Jungclaus And the Eminent Online Marketing Team

An Introduction to Google Plus When it first launched to an “invitation-only” crowd in July 2011, Google Plus experienced high demand for invitations and 20 million users signed up in the first month. Another growth spurt was obvious when the network opened to the public in late September. It is estimated that there are between 40 and 50 million Google Plus users as of November 2011. However, with millions of users signed up to the service after the launch, only a small percentage were actively using the Google Plus network to connect to others. Growth slowed and the time spent on the site declined steadily. The next invigoration of the network was the introduction of Google Plus pages for business in early November 2011. Some people predicted a landslide of business page registrations. Although millions of businesses, from large international companies, to small local businesses have set up their pages, it was hardly a landslide of registrations. Google Plus now provides a “verification badge” to prove the authenticity of a page or profile. However, there is still the possibility to register all kinds of page names without having to prove a direct co-relation to a business or cause. Nearly six months into the Google Plus launch, real traction is yet to be found for most profiles and pages. Tech-savvy crowds are using the platform and are eagerly looking towards the integration of the Google Plus network with other services such as search results and Google AdWords. However, continuous use by mainstream crowds has not yet gained momentum. With the social media marketing activity focused on where people spend most of their time, Google Plus still has a long way to go until it catches up with more established social media channels. Opportunities With new networks, there are always new opportunities. Here’s a summary of the opportunities relating to the unique Google Plus functionality. Hangouts Hangouts are the Google Plus version of “bumping into someone on the street”. Keen on bringing more real social elements to Google Plus, video hangouts let you combine up to 9 people in a video conference, where users can share their screen, use a sketchpad, and collaborate using Google Docs. Anyone with a profile (or a page) can use Google Hangouts, and users also have

Did You Know…? Desmond Tutu, the South African Archbishop conducted a Google Plus Hangout on his 80th birthday In October 2011. The live video conversation was part of the Inaugural Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture in Cape Town, South Africa. One of the attendees was the Dalai Lama.

the ability to turn video chats into public broadcasts. Hangouts are available from your computer, tablet and mobile phone. +1 Button

Initially described as a simple equivalent to the Facebook Like Button, the Google +1 button is now finding its way on the web. As of late August, it was embedded on more than 1 million websites and it now ties directly into the Google Plus network. Any +1 you receive on Google Plus (for posts, comments, hangouts,

etc.) are added to your main website, as stated on your Google Plus Page. +1 indicators are likely to start affecting search engine rankings, as Google uses more social indicators to determine the relevancy of each search result. Difference between Google Plus Profiles and Pages When Google Plus first launched, the only option was to create a profile. While some brands created profiles at the time, Google Plus responded to the need for business and brand pages in early November. Although pages are extremely similar to profiles, they have some key differences:

• Pages can’t add people to circles until the page is added first or mentioned. People can add anyone to their circle (but there is no requirement for the other person to add them back).

• Pages can be made for a variety of different entities whereas profiles can only be made for people. Pages can be made for brands, local businesses, arts, entertainment and sport.

• The default privacy setting for elements on your page is public. For your profile page you can choose which circle to share a post with.

• Pages have the +1 button. • Pages can’t +1 other pages, nor can they +1 stuff on the Web. Profiles can. • With a profile you can participate in Games. Pages can’t play games. • Pages don’t have the option to share to ‘Extended circles’. • Pages don’t receive notifications via email, text, or in the Google bar. • Pages can’t hangout on a mobile device. • Local pages have special fields that help people find the business’ physical location.

4 Ways To Get More From Your Google Plus Marketing Google Plus has only been available for a few months, and we don’t claim to be experts on it. However, we have compiled some useful tips and tricks from the web that can help you get more out of your Google Plus marketing.

SEOMoz, an SEO, internet marketing and software company that is always at the forefront of technology shared some great tips on how to use Google Plus. These tips are adapted from the SEOMoz video series Whiteboard+, a whiteboard brain-storming session created specifically for the SEOMoz Google Plus page. Embed +1 button on website Tests have shown that once a website or content has been +1’ed, it gets indexed in Google search results very quickly. It also indicates social proof and is likely to improve click-through rates, if your target audience are tech-savvy and frequent Google Plus users. Recommendation: Embed +1 button on your home page, especially where you have a tech-savvy target audience that uses Google Plus.

Unique content for Google Plus Page If you have the time and energy to invest in social media, create some specific content for Google Plus, or use existing content such as videos and pictures to engage your audience. Mention heavy Google Plus users, where appropriate, so they are alerted that the content is relevant to them and you give them the opportunity to interact with your content. This way you activate the viral element, as the content gets spread. Recommendation: Create unique Google Plus content and mention heavy users, or influencers in your posts by using the + sign and then their name.

Share Your Google Plus Page through Other Social Networks Once you have claimed your Google Plus page, promote the page on your other social networks (Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc.) to grow your following. Be an early adopter by being innovative and creative with the customisation of your Google Plus page. Recommendation: Promote your Google Plus profile and page through your other social media channels to gain traction. If you have creative ideas to customize your page, you could be profiled around the web as an early adopter.

Be Active in Following Others and Share Their Content Build up your connections by following those people you’re connected to on other channels, such as Gmail, Twitter and Facebook. You can also follow users recommended by Google, or those featured in the What’s Hot stream. Then you can share their content via Google Plus but also via other networks to become the lynchpin for important news. Recommendation: Find others to follow and share useful content on other social networks to become the lynchpin for important news.

Social Signals and SEO

Why are we sharing so much content on social media marketing and Google Plus? Apart from the fact that some of our readers have asked for a more detailed overview of the current uses and opportunities from Google Plus, social signals also have an impact on SEO and general internet marketing. In this article, we explain the basics of how social signals and SEO work together. SEO is generally described as the ability of websites to show up highly in the search engines for a certain search query or keywords. Therefore, the basis of SEO, is the way that the search engines determine which website is most relevant to the user. Traditionally, there have been many factors that contribute to this relevance. For example the age of a website, how many pages are indexed, the contents of these pages and whether the keywords are mentioned in the title, headline and body text of the website. For a while now it has become more obvious that many search engines, especially Google are using more social signals to determine the relevancy of search results. What does that mean? It simply means that the search results are returned based on the fact whether someone else ALSO found them useful. This can be determined through social signals, such as sharing of a website (through Facebook, Twitter Google Plus or social bookmarking sites), pressing the Like or +1 buttons which then associate your profile with this content, or simply displaying reviews and ratings that help you determine relevancy for yourself. There is much speculation how Google Plus and Local Places Reviews are being integrated in the search results and also in the display of Google AdWords advertisements. Definite answers have not yet been determined, but AdWords in the US has already had a trial integration with reviews posted on Google Places sites, and there is some evidence that social signals from Google Plus are contributing to search engine rankings.

Case Study

Eminent Online Marketing was engaged to review the current online marketing strategy of Gateway Credit Union with particular focus on developing a strategy for search engine optimisation (SEO). The aim was to create an SEO strategy that would increase the website traffic and business exposure for Gateway CU. In addition, the review was aimed at creating key performance indicators and measurements for the internal marketing team that would allow Gateway CU to benchmark their current positioning against their competitors in the online marketing

space. Find out more about Gateway Credit Union at http://www.gatewaycu.com.au

Add Us To Your Circles In the Spirit of the Google Plus Issue, keep in touch with us by adding Eminent Online Marketing to your circles. Just search for Eminent Online Marketing in Google Plus search at http://plus.google.com Yours, Janna Jungclaus Eminent Online Marketing http://www.eminentonlinemarketing.com.au janna@eminentonlinemarketing.com.au Ph: 02 8580 4836