Apart from having a great content-rich website and blog that will, hopefully, rank highly in the organic search results – or paying for your ad. to appear using AdWords – there is another Google tool you can use and that is Google+.

Google+ is essentially Google’s social media product, which allows users to ‘connect’ or interact with each with each other.

Google+ Pages for business is a tool which allows businesses to set up profiles on Google+, and then get their business details recommended or shared by users. It’s pretty much a given in marketing that people are more likely to buy things following a positive recommendation from others, especially people they know. Google+ allows you to take advantage of that.

Also, as you’ll know, when you search on Google for a business, product or service you’re presented with results from all around the world. Google say that 97% of consumers search for local businesses online. But Google have recognised that, often, users are not interested in search results from all around the world. They mostly want details of local businesses. So the local element of Google+ is a way which businesses can enhance the visibility of their business when users search for local businesses, products and services.

Google+ integrates with other Google tools on the same account, including Gmail.

Signing up for Google+ is simple. If you already have a Google account (such as Gmail) just log in through that, if not sign up for one. Then all you need to do is identify your business. You will also need to verify that you are the owner or other person with responsibility for it using Google’s verification process.

Next fill in some basic details about your business. This should include type of business, location, contact details, opening hours and so on.

Your business’s Google+ page can then be found on Google search, Google Maps and Google+.

Note that this is quite separate from other occasions when it might be found in organic Google search results. It is additional to marketing your website in other ways, rather than instead of it.

Granted, Google+ isn’t the most exciting social network. It’s had a few ups and downs (and downs) and some people wonder where (and if) Google plan taking in the future. However, for something that takes very little time and effort – and is free – every little helps as they say.

Need some help with improving your website content? Get in touch for tips and advice …. mark @ markhempshell.com