Google+ Pages: What’s the Hype?

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is rolling out new technology this time of year? Facebook has its Timeline, Twitter has a new interface, YouTube has bought a company to help license music, and LinkedIn has partnered with Cvlynk to simplify and accelerate profile sharing.

And we can’t forget Google+ Pages for businesses—one of the more talked about changes for one of the world’s most talked about businesses.

When Google+ was originally launched, it didn’t offer business pages, and people were hesitant to join. What could Google+ do that their Facebook business page couldn’t?

John Haydon, founder of Inbound Zombie, a social media strategy firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, offers these differences in his story for The Huffington Post.

Google+ Pages vs. Facebook Pages

Google+ allows for more users. You can create circles of fellow freelancers, coworkers, or clients—anyone where you want to share private information with (like a Facebook Group) and public information that can be commented on and shared (like a Facebook Page). You can do this in one place in Google+ instead of two pages, like in Facebook.

Google+ is more open. You can find people and organizations with shared interests easier on Google+ than Facebook.

Google+ pages has no Edgerank. On Facebook, Edgerank determines if your content is seen in news feeds. Without it, the people who put you in their circle will always see your posts in their stream.

Having a Google+ Page has other benefits, too. Over 1 billion people use Google’s search engine each month. Google+ Pages are now showing up in search results—meaning your page can tap into that traffic. Google has also launched a new feature called “Direct Connect.”

Users who type “+” in front of a company’s name in Google’s search field will be connected directly to the company’s Google+ Page, if there is one.

People with personal Google+ profiles can recommend your business with a “+1,” or add your business to their “Circles” so they can follow your every post. They can even chat with you or your employees face-to-face over Google+’s “Hangouts” feature. —Reuters

Does this mean you give up your Facebook page? No. Google+ Pages are still in their infancy and people are still trying to figure out how to leverage the technology to their benefit. And, just like all those other social media outlets mentioned above, Google+ will evolve over time.

I’m going to be honest—I have yet to jump on the Google+ Pages bandwagon. Do you have a Google+ Page? I’d love to hear what you think about it. Please leave a comment below.

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