Google+ is a social networking site that allows users to connect with friends and family, explore interests and post status updates, photos and videos. lotus823 has compiled their best practices and a checklist to pretty your Google+ presence.

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55 Gilbert Street North, Suite 3104, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701
phone: 732.212.0823 | www.lotus823.com
Google+
Overview, Best Practices and Checklists
I. Overview
Google+ is a social networking site that allows users to connect with friends and family, explore
interests and post status updates, photos and videos.
Users are on Google+ to:
Join communities
Follow news, people and companies
Join and build circles
Host and attend hangouts
Build personal brands
Create social proof
Extend beyond the social media domain
II. A Proven Model for Google+ Success
Be responsive
o Keep the conversation going within your circles and communities
Ask questions
o The best way to start conversations
Thank your supporters
Poll your audience to +1 or comment
o Ex. “Which product is your favorite?” +1 your favorite response for easy engagement
Share insider content
o Give your customer content that they won’t find anywhere else to increase your followers
Run exclusive promotions
o Launch products on Google+ first to allow followers to feel like an insider
Do something weekly
o Hangouts
o Customer service sessions
 Keeps interest
Learn from others
o Follow other Google+ pages to see what others are doing right and wrong
Cross promote
o Promote your Google+ page on your website and use other social networks to leverage
followers
III. Best Practices
Target your conversations
o Make posts/status updates unique to your product and audience
o Use sourced status updates
o Link to other groups in your industry
+1, share and comment

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55 Gilbert Street North, Suite 3104, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701
phone: 732.212.0823 | www.lotus823.com
o On your follower’s pages
o On similar industry pages
Recommend
o Looking at other pages
o Looking at specific products
o Using a product for specific things
Be active
o Talk to your audience
IV. Engaging with Your Followers
Hangouts
o Live-stream and record it for later viewing
o New product, sales, customer service, marketing, special occasions, etc.
o Casual communication style
Communities
o Share content that your followers are interested in
o Conversations will spark with people who have the same interests
V. Company Status Updates
Status Updates
o Post at least once per weekday to reach the majority of youraudience
o Traffic builds after 9 am, most engagement is during work hours (Avoid posting after 5pm)
o Link to great content and inspire followers to +1 posts
Status Content Suggestions
o Unique Content
 Blog posts
 Company videos
 Eye-catching photos
 Interviews with executives
 Webinars/Hangouts
 Events
 White papers
 Case studies
o Linked Content
 Industry news
 Expert third-party research
 News coverage of your company
o Sourced Content
 Guest posts from partners
 Guests from the industry to feature in Hangouts
 Cross-posting from groups
 Product tests
Viral Content/Status Updates
o Include a call to action: encourage your followers to +1 and comment
o Connect with people in your industry
o Invite customers to recommend your products

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55 Gilbert Street North, Suite 3104, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701
phone: 732.212.0823 | www.lotus823.com
o Post videos/images that relate to your business, product, industry, etc.
o Ask questions that will elicit a response
VI. Google+ Checklists
Google+ Company Page Customization:
☐Add/Update Cover Image
☐Add/Update Company Logo/ Profile Image
☐Add/Update Tagline
☐Add/Update Introduction/ Bio Section
☐Add/Update Contact Information
☐Add/Update Links Section (Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter &Major Social Media Networks)
☐Update Company Status At least Once A Day
☐Post Content Your Audience Cares About
☐Find and Follow Industry Specific Users/Companies
☐Promote Your Google+ Presence(Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter &Major Social Media Networks)
☐Review the Analytics
Let Google+ Work For You:
☐Add Google+Company URL to Email Signature
☐Add Google+Follower Button to Current Website and Blog
☐Have Employees Fill Out Their Google+User Profiles Completely
☐Announce You’re on Google+Through a Blog Post and Spotlight it on YourWebsite