New Google+ Announcement and How it Impacts Search for SMBs

Posted January 20, 2012 by DIYSEO Team (0 comments)

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Some experts said the Google+ hype would die down after launching last summer. However, with about 90 million users now on Google+ and a new huge announcement from Google, we are seeing that Google+ is here to stay and kicking off 2012 with a bang.

What’s all this Google news about anyway?

Last week Google announced it would be including a significant amount of Google+ data into search results on Google.com. Through Search Plus Your World, Google is providing a more comprehensive search that is more personalized to the end user, based on the relationships and information that the user accumulates through Google+.

The end result is what search expert Danny Sullivan refers to as “the most radical transformation ever” to search results. As they say, with great change comes great opportunity! Since the rules have changed, small businesses have no choice but to create and actively manage their business profiles in Google+.

What’s In it for me?

Google Search Plus Your World predicts what you’re looking for by finding businesses, people, and topics based on your Google+ social profile, posts, communities, preferences, and your sharing. In other words, no search page is alike when you look for something or someone in Google. The new integrated search feature in Google can be turned off and on by an icon that is at the top of your browser.

Google explains about the recent integration, “We’re transforming Google into a search engine that understands not only content, but also people and relationships. We began this transformation with Social Search, and today we’re taking another big step in this direction.”

Where to go from here?

It’s important to begin using Google+ right now and integrate it into your business. Here are three next steps:

Create a Google+ profile if you haven’t done so yet. DIYSEO members can log into DIYSEO to get started.
Start exploring and becoming active on Google+, as an individual and as your business by filling in your circles and making connections.
If you’re sharing any blog posts or content in Twitter and/or Facebook, start to do the same in Google+. We know it’s more work, but you really don’t have a choice if you care about ranking in Google!

You could also test out various searches in Google. These practices will help you not only learn about the new Google search results, but it will also lead you ahead of competitors and produce a more relevant exposure for your SMB. The more you know, the more you’re able to take advantage of what Google+ has to offer your business and your clients.

We look forward to the opportunities that Google’s announcement will have on SEO and small businesses in 2012! DIYSEO is here to help our clients, so stay tuned for more information as it comes along this year.

Hey, if Lady Gaga joined Google+ this week because of this expansion announcement, why shouldn’t you?