08 Aug Another Must-Know Social Media Tool (Part Two)
Last week I started telling you a bit about Google+. This week I want to give you a few more tips on this social media tool. Like I said last week, social media is a lot to keep up on these days. However, we all have an obligation to ourselves and our clients to do the best job possible. What do I mean? If you can use facebook, or twitter or YouTube to advance your business objectives, why wouldn’t you do that?
Now I would make the case that you should consider adding Google+ to that list. Many social media experts are calling it a big deal. It’s slick and you can use it to your advantage. Here’s how:
The Forbes article I referenced goes on to present five more reasons why you should take Google+ seriously. Here’s what they argue:
1. Google+ is already indexed and searched by Google, making marketing searches much easier than other platforms. Just drop “site:plus.google.com” before any search in Google, and you’ll see what people are saying about you inside the platform.
2. Lots of companies block Facebook.com. Yes, you can block plus.google.com without limiting access to Google, but many companies won’t be doing this for a while, so there’s a window of opportunity where marketing behind the firewall (you don’t do that?) will be a potential leverage point.
3. Don’t think “social network.” Think “communications backbone.” This tool allows for private collaboration (privacy is much easier to understand here, but it does require some learning), and permits a “one stop” kind of area for talking internally and externally without causing problems. And it works with email, not in lieu of email.
4. Google is committed to this platform. Unlike other attempts in the past, the mandate at the beginning of 2011 was to blow up social networking and mobile, and most of the leadership of Google and their subordinates was given ultimatum-sounding language to that effect. Why should you care? Because that means they’re committed to making this platform amazing for you.
5. First movers win. Okay, this depends on you, the CMO, and your marketing strategy. Are you a “second to market” kind of marketer? This might not be as useful. But if your leadership is calling for you to be FIRST at something, Google+ is one way to get out there ahead of the competition: At the time of this writing, Ford has a huge presence on Google+. GM and Chrysler (not to mention the other companies)? Not so much.
So, give Google+ a look over. What can it hurt?