Google plus blog graphic

We all know it’s important to maintain a presence on as many different social platforms as possible in order to reach the greatest audience. But how do all these platforms differ? If you write a great article and want to share it with the world on Instagram, a magnificent, sharp, and striking picture is sure to do the trick. On Twitter, a short and clever catch phrase or question with two perfect trending hashtags will get you going. But what about Google+?

Google+ is different from other social media platforms because while it has the social element of other channels, it is also tied in to the search engine and hence leverages SEO. This means that staying active on Google+ is crucial to getting your voice out there.

However, Google+ has a unique structure that many may be not be aware of. Think of your posts on Google+ as mini blog posts. And what is a blog post without a good title? On Google+ you can and should always add a title to each post, surrounding the words of your title with an asterisk (ex. *Top Brand*).

A great blog post always has great imagery, be it a picture from your trip abroad on your travel blog, or a clever comic on your quick tip blog. Therefore, every post on your Google+ should include an appropriate image. Finally, before this little blog post is complete, hashtag away. Unlike on Twitter, multiple hashtags will not diminish the quality of your post. Google+ has a unique related hashtag feature. Double check that under the settings page “add related hashtags from Google” is checked. Be sure to monitor posts to confirm that these Google-generated hashtags (colored blue, located at the top of posts) are appropriate and relevant. If one of these hashtags doesn’t seem relevant, then simply “x” it out by moving your cursor over it. Hashtags used within posts will be colored gray amongst these related hashtags. Google+ will begin to learn your commonly used hashtags and will include these in its auto-generated hashtags.

Now go get posting, Google+ “mini” blogging, and improving your SEO!