Internet Marketing Newsletter November 2011

Internet Marketing Newsletter Edition 13 , November 2011The Google Plus IssueSince Google Plus was first launched earlier this year, there has been a constant debate whetherit is useful or not, whether people or businesses should create profiles and whether they cancreate a positive ROI from the network as on other social media channels.Since many of our clients have asked about Google Plus, we decided to put together a GooglePlus Issue to give you an overview.In this issue you’ll find: • An Introduction To Google Plus • Opportunities on Google Plus • Google Plus Profiles Vs Pages • 4 Ways To Get More From Your Google Plus Marketing • Why Google Plus Is Important For SEOAs always, if you also have feedback, suggestions for future articles, or want to send us anyother comments, simply email info@eminentonlinemarketing.com.auUntil next month, Janna Jungclaus And the Eminent Online Marketing Team

An Introduction to Google PlusWhen it first launched to an “invitation-only” crowd in July 2011, Google Plus experienced highdemand for invitations and 20 million users signed up in the first month. Another growth spurtwas obvious when the network opened to the public in late September. It is estimated that thereare between 40 and 50 million Google Plus users as of November 2011.However, with millions of users signed up to the service after the launch, only a small percentagewere actively using the Google Plus network to connect to others. Growth slowed and the timespent on the site declined steadily. Did You Know…?The next invigoration of the network was theintroduction of Google Plus pages for business in Desmond Tutu, the South Africanearly November 2011. Some people predicted a Archbishop conducted a Googlelandslide of business page registrations. Although Plus Hangout on his 80th birthday Inmillions of businesses, from large international October 2011. The live videocompanies, to small local businesses have set up conversation was part of thetheir pages, it was hardly a landslide of registrations. Inaugural Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture in Cape Town, South Africa.Google Plus now provides a “verification badge” toprove the authenticity of a page or profile. However, One of the attendees was the Dalaithere is still the possibility to register all kinds of page Lama.names without having to prove a direct co-relation toa business or cause.Nearly six months into the Google Plus launch, real traction is yet to be found for most profilesand pages. Tech-savvy crowds are using the platform and are eagerly looking towards theintegration of the Google Plus network with other services such as search results and GoogleAdWords. However, continuous use by mainstream crowds has not yet gained momentum. Withthe social media marketing activity focused on where people spend most of their time, GooglePlus still has a long way to go until it catches up with more established social media channels.OpportunitiesWith new networks, there are always new opportunities. Here’s a summary of the opportunitiesrelating to the unique Google Plus functionality.HangoutsHangouts are the Google Plus version of “bumping into someone on the street”. Keen on bringingmore real social elements to Google Plus, video hangouts let you combine up to 9 people in avideo conference, where users can share their screen, use a sketchpad, and collaborate usingGoogle Docs. Anyone with a profile (or a page) can use Google Hangouts, and users also have

the ability to turn video chats into public broadcasts. Hangouts are available from your computer,tablet and mobile phone.+1 Button Initially described as a simple equivalent to the Facebook Like Button, the Google +1 button is now finding its way on the web. As of late August, it was embedded on more than 1 million websites and it now ties directly into the Google Plus network. Any +1 you receive on Google Plus (for posts, comments, hangouts,etc.) are added to your main website, as stated onyour Google Plus Page. +1 indicators are likely tostart affecting search engine rankings, as Googleuses more social indicators to determine therelevancy of each search result.Difference between Google Plus Profiles and PagesWhen Google Plus first launched, the only option wasto create a profile. While some brands created profiles at the time, Google Plus responded to theneed for business and brand pages in early November.Although pages are extremely similar to profiles, they have some key differences: • Pages can’t add people to circles until the page is added first or mentioned. People can add anyone to their circle (but there is no requirement for the other person to add them back). • Pages can be made for a variety of different entities whereas profiles can only be made for people. Pages can be made for brands, local businesses, arts, entertainment and sport. • The default privacy setting for elements on your page is public. For your profile page you can choose which circle to share a post with. • Pages have the +1 button. • Pages can’t +1 other pages, nor can they +1 stuff on the Web. Profiles can. • With a profile you can participate in Games. Pages can’t play games. • Pages don’t have the option to share to ‘Extended circles’. • Pages don’t receive notifications via email, text, or in the Google bar. • Pages can’t hangout on a mobile device. • Local pages have special fields that help people find the business’ physical location.4 Ways To Get More From Your Google Plus MarketingGoogle Plus has only been available for a few months, and we don’t claim to be experts on it.However, we have compiled some useful tips and tricks from the web that can help you get moreout of your Google Plus marketing.

SEOMoz, an SEO, internet marketing and software company that is always at the forefront oftechnology shared some great tips on how to use Google Plus. These tips are adapted from theSEOMoz video series Whiteboard+, a whiteboard brain-storming session created specifically forthe SEOMoz Google Plus page.Embed +1 button on websiteTests have shown that once a website or content has been +1’ed, it gets indexed in Googlesearch results very quickly. It also indicates social proof and is likely to improve click-throughrates, if your target audience are tech-savvy and frequent Google Plus users.Recommendation: Embed +1 button on your home page, especially where you have a tech-savvy target audience that uses Google Plus. Unique content for Google Plus Page If you have the time and energy to invest in social media, create some specific content for Google Plus, or use existing content such as videos and pictures to engage your audience. Mention heavy Google Plus users, where appropriate, so they are alerted that the content is relevant to them and you give them the opportunity to interact with your content. This way you activate the viral element, as the content gets spread. Recommendation: Create unique Google Plus content and mention heavy users, or influencers in your posts by using the + sign and then their name.Share Your Google Plus Page through Other Social NetworksOnce you have claimed your Google Plus page, promote the page on your other social networks(Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc.) to grow your following. Be an early adopter by beinginnovative and creative with the customisation of your Google Plus page.Recommendation: Promote your Google Plus profile and page through your other social mediachannels to gain traction. If you have creative ideas to customize your page, you could beprofiled around the web as an early adopter.

Be Active in Following Others and Share Their ContentBuild up your connections by following those people you’re connected to on other channels, suchas Gmail, Twitter and Facebook. You can also follow users recommended by Google, or thosefeatured in the What’s Hot stream. Then you can share their content via Google Plus but also viaother networks to become the lynchpin for important news.Recommendation: Find others to follow and share useful content on other social networks tobecome the lynchpin for important news.Social Signals and SEOWhy are we sharing so much content on social media marketing and Google Plus?Apart from the fact that some of our readers have asked for a more detailed overview of thecurrent uses and opportunities from Google Plus, social signals also have an impact on SEO andgeneral internet marketing. In this article, we explain the basics of how social signals and SEOwork together.SEO is generally described as the ability of websites to show up highly in the search engines fora certain search query or keywords. Therefore, the basis of SEO, is the way that the searchengines determine which website is most relevant to the user.Traditionally, there have been many factors that contribute to this relevance. For example the ageof a website, how many pages are indexed, the contents of these pages and whether thekeywords are mentioned in the title, headline and body text of the website.For a while now it has become more obvious that many search engines, especially Google areusing more social signals to determine the relevancy of search results.What does that mean? It simply means that the search results are returned based on the factwhether someone else ALSO found them useful. This can be determined through social signals,such as sharing of a website (through Facebook, Twitter Google Plus or social bookmarkingsites), pressing the Like or +1 buttons which then associate your profile with this content, orsimply displaying reviews and ratings that help you determine relevancy for yourself.There is much speculation how Google Plus and Local Places Reviews are being integrated inthe search results and also in the display of Google AdWords advertisements. Definite answershave not yet been determined, but AdWords in the US has already had a trial integration withreviews posted on Google Places sites, and there is some evidence that social signals fromGoogle Plus are contributing to search engine rankings.

Case Study Eminent Online Marketing was engaged to review the current online marketing strategy of Gateway Credit Union with particular focus on developing a strategy for search engine optimisation (SEO). The aim was to create an SEO strategy that would increase the website traffic and business exposure for Gateway CU. In addition, the review was aimed at creating key performance indicators and measurements for the internal marketing team that would allow Gateway CU to benchmark their current positioning against their competitors in the online marketingspace.Find out more about Gateway Credit Union at http://www.gatewaycu.com.auAdd Us To Your CirclesIn the Spirit of the Google Plus Issue, keep in touch with us by adding Eminent Online Marketingto your circles. Just search for Eminent Online Marketing in Google Plus search athttp://plus.google.comYours,Janna JungclausEminent Online Marketinghttp://www.eminentonlinemarketing.com.aujanna@eminentonlinemarketing.com.auPh: 02 8580 4836

Internet Marketing Newsletter November 2011

by Eminent Marketing

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