Earlier this week, Google Plus introduced the much anticipated business pages. Sure, the initial excitement of Google Plus has worn off and the social network consists of mostly naval gazers and tumbleweeds. But even though the social network didn’t take off as anticipated, your business can’t afford to be absent from Google Plus.
Google is the premier search engine. Alternative search engines aren’t even a viable threat to Google. The latest figures show that 65.3% of search traffic goes through Google.
Though Google offers several services, its primary function remains as a search engine. Google’s page rank algorithm is constantly changing, but Google+ will inevitably affect search results. It’s too early to say with certainty, but I have a few guesses.
Plus 1 Button
The plus one button has been available for a few months now. The button allows each visitor to verify the site’s legitimacy and value. It could be assumed that more plus ones would equal higher page ranking.
The only down side of the plus one button is that it is not personal. It may influence search results, but each person would still receive the same results. This is where Google Plus steps in.
Peer Recommendations
Google plus adds a new dimension to the plus based search algorithm. Now, Google doesn’t have to rely on an arrogate number of votes. Through the social network, they can customize search results based on your friends’ tastes.
For example, when I search for “The Clix Group” while logged into Google Plus, an icon with Katherine’s picture appears below the search results, telling me that Katherine has approved of this site.
Perhaps you have no interest in building your brand’s social engagement. But, if you want to be found online, you have to be interested in Google Plus.
