Google+ Marketing Archives

Social Media Update: What’s New?

August 17, 2015/by Corey Padveen

Every so often, there are so many major announcements and changes in the world of social media, that a simple industry-wide update is needed.

With everything from Instagram to Google+ changes being announced lately, it seems harder than ever to keep up with what’s happening in the social media marketing world. This list breaks down what marketers need to know in order to stay on top of the social media game.

Instagram Ads Open to the Public

We recently discussed Instagram ads and how this announcement is going to open a whole new world for marketers. It is no secret that Instagram is a powerful tool, and that power has now increased exponentially with this announcement from the company.

Google+ is Disappearing

Though it is not completely dead, Google+ is slowly (but very surely) pulling out of the spotlight. This has been made apparent by the fact that other Google products no longer require the Google+ profile sign in. It is safe to say that it won’t be long before Google+ is broken down even further (Photos, Streams, etc.) and all we are left with is some version of the +1. While there is still some value to sharing content (from an SEO standpoint) paying close attention to the network won’t seem to yield great results moving forward.

LinkedIn Creates a Messenger

It is no secret that LinkedIn has long had one of the worst messaging platforms of any social network. While the intention (as a business-oriented social network) was to make it seem like an email dashboard, it wound up feeling clunky and outdated. Finally, LinkedIn has updated their messaging system so it feels more like a live chat than a series of disjointed and unnecessarily professional messages.

Improved Facebook Ad Dashboard

As the first social network with an ad dashboard it should come as no surprise that Facebook’s latest update to its ad management system makes it the most powerful of any social advertising dashboard on the market. The simplicity and user-friendliness make it a marketers dream, and on the agency side, it has quickly become the best to work with (with regards to segmenting campaigns and producing reports).

Facebook Messenger for Businesses

Slowly but surely, Facebook is making use of its assets. Another new feature on the network is the ability for businesses and customers to interact privately in Facebook Messenger. For a long time, detailed customer service issues have been a problem since interaction between consumers and brands have been done publicly on an open message board. Now, Facebook is providing a space where customer service can be taken to new heights.

Twitter Makes Ads Easier

Another major move forward for marketers (particularly on the agency side) is the new ability for marketers to edit Twitter ads in bulk with their new ad manager system. Twitter ads offer great value when it comes to interest and behavioral targeting, and the TV targeting is second to none. Now, with this update, marketers can rejoice at the amount of time it will save managing campaigns.

While plenty has taken place (much more than what is listed here) these are a few of the updates that marketers need to be aware of and should be most excited about. What other changes are you looking forward to?

Changes to Google in 2014

December 20, 2013/by Corey Padveen

Google updates its algorithm roughly 500 times per year, so we can expect some significant changes to Google in 2014.

Changes to Google are not uncommon. Very recently, Google completely overhauled their primary algorithm and introduced the world to Hummingbird. In 2014, we won’t necessarily see a move quite as significant (the last time Google implemented such an update was over a decade ago) but we can surely expect to see some changes to Google and the way we, as marketers, should adapt for it.

Focus on Conversation

If we know one thing for certain about Hummingbird, it is that it focuses on the conversational aspect of search. The assumption should no longer be that people are looking for, “Buy black winter hat cheap,” but rather, “Where can I buy a cheap black winter hat?”

The latter is referred to as a ‘soft search’ and this is the direction in which we need to focus our efforts as search and social marketers. Google made it clear when they introduced Hummingbird that it will integrate very heavily with Google’s social layer, which focuses on conversation in Google+ and other social networks.

In 2014, we should expect this focus to increase and optimize our content for these kinds of soft searches as opposed to focusing on keyword density (but that’s nothing new).

Focus on Social (Even More)

Expanding on that point about the social layer, changes to Google in 2014 will surely include an even greater focus on social activity. The reason why Google has transitioned to a soft search approach is because of how many people turn to social media in order to conduct their searches now.

When over 95% of people trust the recommendations made by friends and family, you know they are more likely to quickly post a question (like the winter hat example above) to Facebook while conducting their own research on Google. Considering links on social networks contribute (quite significantly) to improved search rankings – and we can expect that contribution to rise in the coming year – this should continue to be a focus for your brand in 2014.

Focus on Mobile

The world is going mobile. In fact, estimates suggest that by the end of 2013 (so, in other words, now) there will be more mobile devices than there are people on Earth. And by 2017, there will be an estimated 1.4 mobile devices on Earth per person. Suffice it to say that mobile is important.

As mobile devices become smarter and more user-friendly, people will increase their use of their mobile devices and slowly move away from their desktop. Not to mention the fact that in the developing world, mobile devices are much more readily accessible than desktops. One of the major changes to Google in the coming year is going to be an increased focus on mobile.

Ensure that your website, app and all of your content are optimized for mobile in order to ensure that it is easily shareable and discoverable. Over the course of the year, Google will be sure to incorporate mobile readiness into search rankings in a much bigger way.

Focus on Google+

The fact that there are still detractors from the platform is mind-blowing. This is a social network owned an operated by a search giant that openly tells people to focus on social media. What better place to share your content than on that platform’s social network?

Every year, Google+ becomes more important to search. Bit by bit, Google is transforming their business structure to become a more social company. Doesn’t it behoove your brand to be active on the networks they own?

These are just a few of the changes we can expect to come from Google in 2014. What will you do differently? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

Social Media Case Study: Financial Times

August 29, 2013/by Corey Padveen

What is there for marketers to learn from the Financial Times social media strategy?

Visit the Financial Times Google+ page and you will see an innovative use of social media by a brand in an industry that many think is outdated. The Financial Times social media channels looks great on the outside, but there is a lot taking place on the inside as well from which marketers can take a lesson or two.

At a 125 years old, the Financial Times is not necessarily a brand that many would expect to see incorporating social media in such a crucial way. With the exception of a select few, like the Huffington Post, news publications tend to use social media for nothing other than a secondary vessel through which to share information. The Financial Times, on the other hand, has adapted their model to incorporate social media to the fullest, and it is paying off in a big way.

There are two key features when it comes to the Financial Times social media program that make it stand out. First, it is engaging with its broad audience on a number of channels, primarily Google+. Second, the marketing team behind this strategy has been paying close attention to the analytics of their social media efforts, and they have been evolving according to the successes and failures they have experienced.

Below are three key lessons that marketers can learn from the marketing team behind the Financial Times social media success.

Sharing Rich Content

Much like the case study we did about H&M, the Financial Times shares rich, social-specific content to their social media audience.

Their networks do not simply regurgitate information posted to their website, they are sharing much more with their audience in order to keep them engaged.

Engaged with the Audience

And speaking of engagement, this is at the forefront of their strategy. They are not simply sharing, they are talking.

The Financial Times has built their network to its current size by engaging with their audience wherever they could. By listening to what is being said, the strategy was able to adapt and appeal to what the audience wanted. This has proven to be among the most successful factors in their strategy.

Monitor Analytics and Adapt

The only way to grow a social media program is to pay close attention to your results, and use that data in order to expand your network. This is exactly what has grown the Financial Times social media program into what it is.

Few brands – in the media field or otherwise – truly pay attention to their metrics. It is hard to imagine considering the weight put on the measurability of social media. By focusing on their analytics, the Financial Times has managed to continually grow their social presence.

Which of these three features do you think is most important for a brand’s success on social media? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

How To Use Google Authorship to Benefit SEO

July 24, 2013/by Corey Padveen

There can be a significant boost to SEO from the proper use of Google Authorship.

Considering the first half of the term, ‘Google’, it is no surprise that Google Authorship can have tremendous benefits when it comes to SEO. Frankly, any time a service or network (e.g. Google+) is owned and operated by the search giant, SEO tends to be a major byproduct of its use. But how can you add to SEO with the use of Google Authorship.

The 4 tips below provide some insight into how you can take advantage of Google Authorship to boost your rankings.

Incorporate Google+ Into Your Writing

Google+ should be included on every website where you are sharing content. Google+ is a major consideration by Google when determining the authority of a given author, and if you are properly using Google+ when you write, your articles will have a better chance of finding their way to the top of search rankings.

Don’t Ignore Google+

Having said that, it is important that you are using Google+ consistently.

Simply having a Google+ profile does not mean you are using the network – it comes with a Gmail address. You need to really immerse yourself in the network in order to see the benefits associated with Google Authorship. The more active you are on Google+, the more recognition is given to your Authorship. (It may not be fair, but it’s fact.)

Invite Credible Authors to Share

If you are leveraging your own Authorship on your blog, that’s good. If you are leveraging the authority of several qualified authors on your blog, that’s great.

When your blog is filled with articles written by authors with great Google Authorship rankings, you can rest assured that it will improve the rankings of several articles on your site. We recently discussed the Social Equity of guest blogging, and Google Authorship is one important benefit to note.

Engage with Influencers

Industry influencers, like credible authors, can do wonders for your own Google Authorship. By engaging with influencers on Google+ and seeing mentions of your profile increase, you stand to see a trickle down effect resulting in increased authority given to your Authorship.

Reach out to influencers and join in the conversation in influential groups and Communities and expect to see the benefits to SEO.

Try a few of these tips and see how they help your SEO efforts. Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

5 Ways to Boost SEO with Social Media

July 16, 2013/by Corey Padveen

What can you do to boost SEO with social media?

There is a lot of debate over whether or not social media factors into your search rankings. There are those who firmly believe that social media is the ‘next big thing’ in SEO, and those who feel as though the power of social media has been taken out of context as it pertains to SEO, and that is has not real benefits at all.

The fact of the matter is that social signals do have an impact on SEO, and that you can, through the use of a few key practices, boost SEO with social media.

Focus on Google Authorship

Whether it is through blogging, Google+ or YouTube, you should try, whenever possible, to increase the authority of your name on Google.

Google Authorship is an important social signal when Google ranks its results. Ever see a blog article pop up in Google with a little picture on the left? That’s a ranking factor that should be considered when writing. The more authority your name has on Google’s social layer, the more likely those articles are to pop up when someone searches for a specified keyword.

Share Links with Your Content

When it comes to social signals, link-sharing on social networks is very similar to link-building through anchor text. While keywords do not necessarily hold as much weight on social media, your links do. When someone shares a Facebook post linking back to your site, or retweets a link you shared, search engines tend to pick that up.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to get noticed – share some links (when they are appropriate).

Consistency

Your presence needs to be felt on social media and your content needs to be ongoing. You should be partaking in conversations on a regular basis if you want to see your search rankings improve. This results from two things. First, your content will be shared more regularly on social networks. Second, the effect of your presence on social media means a greater potential for people to search for you outside of these networks.

Social media networks are a great way to get your name out there, so be there as often as you can.

Go To the Source

Google is the world’s largest search engine. Google+ is a social network owned by Google. Ergo, one can easily conclude that Google+ is important to search rankings in Google.

It’s a fact. In a recent infographic created by Searchmetrics that measures 2013 ranking factors on Google, Google +1s topped the charts. Sharing interesting and engaging content on Google+ is going to lead to +1s on your content. +1s mean more love from Google. Join Google+ Communities, join conversations and share relevant material and you can be sure to see your rankings improve.

Integrate Social Media and SEO

These are not two standalone factors that increase your business. Social media and SEO needs to be approached together. Granted, one strategy might have been in place before the other, but that does not mean that they cannot be integrated into one another.

Look at your keywords, where your traffic is coming from and where you are finding success on both social media and SEO, and create a single strategy where the two act as complements, not competitors.

These are just a few ways you can boost SEO with social media. How have you found social media has an impact on SEO? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

4 Tips to Increase Engagement on Google+

July 9, 2013/by Corey Padveen

What are a few ways you can increase engagement on Google+?

Google+ can be a great resource when it comes to increasing your search engine rankings, finding new clients and driving traffic to your website or blog, but the key to achieving any of this starts with engagement. It is therefore important to know how to increase engagement on Google+.

The tips below are just a few ways to increase engagement on Google+. They are simple and effective, and you can start implementing them right away!

Create Niche Circles

Circles are a great way of divvying up your network. Say you are a tech blogger with a side passion for fishing. You might have hundreds of people in your Google+ network for blogging and another set of network members for fishing. You probably won’t want to share the same content with both of those groups.

By creating niche circles filled with users that fit specific criteria, you can share content targeted to those users and expect considerably higher engagement than if you are simply sharing content to the public.

(Hint: When you share to circles, users receive a popup notification. On the contrary, when you simply share to Public, your network will not receive a popup.)

Give and Take

We all want to see our engagement levels rise, but in order to get other users familiar with our brand and build up our Google+ network, there needs to be a little give and take.

Take time to go through your feed and communities and comment on, +1 or share content you find intriguing or relevant. People appreciate the gesture as much as you do, and rarely does it go unnoticed. So take the time to engage with others and it will not be long before you see the same.

Join Relevant Communities

Google+ Communities are among the greatest features on any social network; this is particularly true when it comes to business and engagement.

By joining Google+ Communities relevant to your industry, you are joining groups of people that have an already expressed interest in what you have to say. Half the engagement battle is fought as soon as you step in the door! By sharing relevant content to the groups, you can expect significantly higher engagement rates than simply sharing to a broad, unspecific audience.

Join Hangouts

Hangouts are a great way to involve yourself and your brand in the conversation organically. Google+ hangouts are designed to share stimulating ideas and conversations, and by actively parrticipating in them you both give more of a personality to your brand and have the opportunity to showcase your expertise with a group of interested peers.

These are just a few of the ways you can go about increasing your engagement on Google+

How do you increase engagement on Google+? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

Social Media Case Study: H&M

June 27, 2013/by Corey Padveen

How did H&M use Google+ to captivate and engage an audience?

There are several critics who claim that Google+ is not a place to engage an audience, and that it is a veritable ghost town in the social media world. Like any form or medium of marketing, it is not necessarily a question of where you are, but how you plan to use your surroundings to your advantage. That is fashion retail giant H&M’s approach to Google+, and they have managed to engage an audience of nearly a million users.

There are a few key features that make H&M an interesting case study for Google+. First, there is the close, personal attention H&M pays to its fans on the network along with the exclusive content they share. Second, H&M monitors their data closely and modifies their Google+ strategy. And third, H&M integrates several key add-ons that help the brand generate business from the network.

Engagement

The devotion H&M has shown to its fans on Google+ should be noted by any marketer looking to build brand loyalty. H&M fans on Google+ are encouraged to share content, which the brand then features on their page.

Conversations are also started by the brand, and visual content is shared on a regular basis in an effort to drive fans to landing pages. Furthermore, much of this content is exclusive to Google+.

It is important to reward your fans. We discussed this recently in an article about Cadbury’s big ‘Thank You’ to their fans. The difference with H&M, however, is that the fashion brand focuses on thanking their Google+ fans with exclusive content. This is an excellent way to engage an audience, and H&M has the numbers to prove it.

Data

The ‘Ripples’ feature on Google+ can be one of your most powerful weapons in developing a strong Google+ campaign – if you know how to use it.

H&M monitors the data in the backend of Google+ in order to understand how, where and when their content is being shared and make the necessary modifications to their strategy in order to ensure that their engagement and share rates remain high. Any marketer will tell you that data and reporting will make or break a campaign. It is important that whenever possible you examine the data you have, and ‘Ripples’ are a powerful feature on Google+.

Integration

Did we mention that Google+ is owned by Google? H&M realizes that and they integrated their AdWords campaigns with their Google+ efforts. The results? Only a 22% CTR (click-through rate) uplift. Not too shabby.

It is important to streamline your processes wherever possible. If the whole machine is functioning together, you stand to produce far better results than if every part is trying to work on its own.

Do you actively use Google+ to engage an audience? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

The Perfect Post on Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

June 24, 2013/by Corey Padveen

What makes the perfect post on social media?

To qualify something as ‘perfect’ is rather extreme. Everyone has different tastes, and people are going to appreciate and react to your content in different ways. To say that one specific post is the ‘perfect post on social media’ might be a little farfetched. However, the folks at mycleveragency have put together an infographic detailing what makes the data-supported ‘perfect’ post on a number of social networks.

The data is taken from a number of studies and surveys and is derived from one common element: what makes the majority tick? How are you supposed to draft content that generates engagement, clicks and conversions on each social network? Sharing the same content across every network is not going to work – people on Google+ will not necessarily react to content the same way as people on Pinterest.

The infographic also shares some interesting information regarding the best and worst times to post on different social networks. A little while back, we posted an article that detailed some similar information, and it would appear as though some new evidence shows that user behaviour has changed in some areas and remained the same in others. Interesting stuff!

Take a look at this infographic and try modifying your content according to the tips highlighted here. Let us know if you agree with these tips or if you have found another version of your perfect post on social media! Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

5 Tips for Using Google+ Effectively

June 5, 2013/by Corey Padveen

Google+ can be a tremendous resource, but you need to know how to use the network properly.

These 5 quick tips for using Google+ effectively will surely boost the engagement and traffic generated from Google+. The network – naturally owned and operated by the search giant of the same name – possesses several inherent benefits that are unique to the platform. Yet, so few people are properly utilizing the channel.

By implementing these tips for using Google+ effectively it won’t be long before your activity on the network becomes one of the pillars of your social media marketing success.

Engage with Your Audience

Though many critics argue that Google+ is a desolate wasteland on the web, the reality is that there are hundreds of millions of accounts, and even if a fraction of those are active, it is more than you will find in most other forums.

Engaging with your audience – whether it is on your account, your business page or in a community – is going to be crucial to finding success on the network. The loudest critics are often those that are not taking full advantage of the networks many features.

Build Your Circles

Shared circles are an under-utilized and under-appreciated feature on Google+. Did you know that there are plenty of users our there with hundreds of circle members that you can join for free? Search for public circles, or take advantage of the app Public Circles to find already existing communities and join in. And speaking of communities…

Join as Many Communities as Possible

Communities – one of the newer features on Google+ – set the network apart from the rest of the social media world. Communities are groups of individuals with a common, expressed interest. Furthermore, unlike Facebook, there is no EdgeRank-type algorithm that limits what these community members can see within the community; effectively, you post it, they read it.

Sharing relevant content to different communities is a great way to boost your exposure, engagement and referral traffic from the network.

Remember the Benefits to SEO

Google+ is Google. In 2012, Google’ Senior VP of Engineering, Vic Gundotra noted that Google+ is a ‘social layer’ to Google, and that everything the network does will now take social into account. When it comes to SEO, that means that Google+ will add tremendous weight to your search rankings.

Use Google Authorship

Finally, take advantage of the Google Authorship feature – the benefits to both SEO and authority are outstanding.

This relates to the tip above. The Google Authorship feature is weighted quite heavily by Google when determining search rankings. Google registers when you have been featured on another blog or website, and brings everything together under the Google+ umbrella to increase your rankings.

By taking advantage of these tips for using Google+ effectively you can be sure to see your activity, engagement and referral traffic boost.

Have you already implemented any of these tips? How have they helped your activity on Google+? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!

Social Media Case Study: Cadbury

May 30, 2013/by Corey Padveen

How did Cadbury make their social media presence as sweet as their candy?

It was early in 2012 that Cadbury realized they were approaching the 1 million fan mark on Facebook. It was around that same time that they realized that only about 16% of fans ever saw any of the content they were posting to their social networks.

Cadbury wanted to get the most out of their social media marketing, and they knew that for an internationally-recognized brand, 16% simply wasn’t good enough. So they decided to do something so big that it would grab the attention of a lot more than a mere 16%: they built a Facebook ‘Like’ thumb out of chocolate to say thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uHtDRw4ujYw

The results of this gesture were 40,000 new Facebook fans and engagement of well over 30% for this campaign. Clearly, there are a few takeaways marketers can pull from this campaign by Cadbury.

Always Engage Your Audience

Engagement is going to be at the forefront of any successful social media campaign. Your audience needs to have a purpose for viewing your content, and providing engaging content is always going to be on top of that list of reasons.

Simply sharing promotional information, or a piece of text, isn’t going to entice anyone to share, comment, or necessarily like your content. The results? It hurts your EdgeRank and can be somewhat damaging to your brand’s growth on social media in the long run, due to the lack of exposure.

Let Your Fans Know You Care

Whether you are a Cadbury with 1 million fans or a Mom n’ Pop with 100, you should always let those that have become fans know that you care.

Success on social media stems from the ability to reach a wider audience than on any other medium, and each fan is another new network of possibilities. So when reaching milestones, show your fans you care – you’d be surprised at how appreciated those gestures are.

Never Ignore Your Analytics

It took Cadbury until the million fan mark to realize that only 16% of those fans were engaging with the brand. Moreover, Cadbury is an international brand; imagine how few fans are engaged with your small business on Facebook if only a small fraction are engaging with a brand like Cadbury!

The reality is that roughly 98% of people who ‘Like’ a brand never return to that brand’s page. You need to find a way to optimize your content and your strategy in order to get those numbers as high as possible. Don’t ignore your analytics. They are providing valuable information that is going to help your brand blow up on social media!

The social media case study on Cadbury’s Facebook campaign provides a great set of Do’s and Do Not’s for marketers.

Which of these lessons do you think is most important? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!