Google+ allows businesses to create pages to interact with customers. It offers features like circles to organize contacts, video chatting, and sparks to share relevant content. While it currently has a smaller user base than Facebook, Google+ may provide businesses opportunities to create more direct relationships with customers through its focus on sharing professional and industry-specific information. Integration with other Google services also provides benefits for brands.

1. Google+ Pages Google+ For Businesses & Brands

2. Maria Nasioti UX Designer & Front End Developer at BugSense.com Co-Organizer at GTUG Greece

3. What is Google+?

4. What is Google+? "If Facebook and Twitter had a baby, they'd call it Google+" - Olaf Wempe

5. What is Google+? "If Facebook and Twitter had a baby, they'd call it Google+" - Olaf Wempe Public Private

7. JUNE 28th Google launched Google+ to a small group of testers

8. Google+ was the fastest social network to reach 10 million users at 16 days . (Facebook took 852 days to reach that mark and Twitter did it in 780 days )

9. 4 Weeks 88 DAYS ~ 50M Users 2354 days ~ Linkedin 1325 days ~ Facebook 1096 days ~ Twitter

10. Occupations & Companies

12. What does it offer?

13. Circles Easily organize people into groups of the same interest.

14. Circles Easily organize people into groups of the same interest. One of the biggest headaches of Facebook is arranging followers into specific groups to reach out to. Google's + circles is a the easiest system on the market to share posts with specific targeted groups. Great way to keep in touch with clients and share relevants info with them instantly and privately through circles

15. Hangouts Video chat and instant message with a group of people.

16. Hangouts Video chat and instant message with a group of people. Best rated feature of Google+ Hangouts lets up to 10 users simultaneously video chat with each other. Video chat options provide a great opportunity for businesses to connect directly with customers. Group video chats offer great opportunities to conduct exclusive workshops or to roll out exclusive promotions to VIP customers

17. Search Receive up to date info on topics of interest.

18. Sparks Online sharing engine. The main thing is staying up to date with my interests .

19. Sparks The main thing is staying up to date with my interests . Perhaps the most useful of all Google+'s features is Sparks Allows users to suggest news stories, videos, photos and more to specific users or circles rather than automatically posting it to everyone. This allow for targeted marketing opportunities by focusing on those users who would find your content most useful.

20. Huddle Have a group texting conversations rather than a bunch of individual texts.

21. Google+ Pages Pages is basically the Google Plus version of Facebook Fan Pages, and gives businesses a chance to claim a profile on the social network so they can interact with and engage their customers and fans.

22. Remember the Facebook evolution Facebook pioneered one-on-one connections between a brand and fans. Facebook launched in 2004 - Brand Pages 2007 2009 Brand Pages changed to emulate personal profiles 3 Years after launched!!!

23. The Google+ evolution will be faster Despite much excitement at launch, only a few brands were admitted to the party. NOW ALL!!! Integrated with Google advertising products Better Search Finally integrated with Google Apps Google+ at home, at work and at college(circles) Hangouts with extras (google docs) Google+ coming to a campus near you (Many students and teachers have sent us their ideas about how they can use Google+ to teach, learn, work, and play. These are a few Google Apps for Education universities from around the world that are bringing Google+ to their campuses)

24. Google+ vs. Facebook for Brands Branding: while Facebook limits design options, G+ could function more like YouTube (channels) with custom skin options. Facebook Insights vs. Google+ Analytics. Hangouts + YouTube Live integration in progress – watch and chat simultaneously vs facebook chat. Maps/Places(not ready) – Expect this to be integrated with G+ brand pages vs Facebook places. Search – Google’s universal search will be stronger than Facebook .

25. Why Companies Should Invest in Google+ Brand Pages With the recent announcement of Google+ brand pages, many people may be saying “My business is already active on Facebook and Twitter, why should I bother with yet another social media channel?

26. Smaller User Base "TRUE" has smaller user base than Facebook, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should ignore it and focus all of your efforts on Facebook. Users, come less noise and more focus in the space. Google+ - professional, informational, and industry-specific manner. Because of this, brands may be able to create a much more direct and personal relationship with their audiences.

27. Unique Functionality Future Integration With Other Google Offerings Google+ is ripe for deeper integration with services such as Google Places, Offers and Maps , Web and Image Search, and YouTube. Google has already begun this process in several ways. One of the most recent is the addition of Google +1s into Image Search.

28. How To Create Google Plus Business Pages

31. Can I make someone else an admin of my page? Not yet!!! Can I share content between myself and my page? Create a circle called “Me” or something creative. Add only yourself and your pages to this circle. Now you can simply share your information between your pages and yourself by sharing only with that “Me” circle. Do I really have to use that silly long numeric user name? Nah. You can use a URL shortener to get you a nice tidy URL to share with your friends.

32. Share Different people are interested in different parts of your business. Whether it's breaking news, updates, promotions, links, photos - even talking face-to-face with groups via easy-to-use video chat - Google+ lets you easily share the right things with the right customers. http://www.google.com/+/business/share.html

33. Spread the word There are lots of ways to promote your site and your Google+ page, from promoting it yourself with Google+ Direct Connect and the Google+ badge, to helping others recommend you with the +1 button.

34. Google+ badge Grow your audience by making it easy for people to find and recommend your page. Place the Google+ badge or a small code snippet on your site. many total people have given positive reviews at this.

35. Connect your website The Google badge icons claims of people who recently chose "+1" for the site, suggesting it to friends. Additionally the badges give the option to add a site to your cycles, and to see how many total people have given positive reviews at this.

36. Direct Connect Now Google+ Direct Connect leverages the “+” symbol for those looking to go directly to a Google+ page in search. Instead of typing in “YouTube Google Plus” Direct connect will allow you to type “+youtube” to be escorted directly to the Google+ page, no results required.

37. Help others promote you +1 recommendations The +1 button combines the power of personal recommendations with the reach of Google, making it easy to start conversations and offer timely recommendations to your social circles across the web Connect your +1's Help people see their friends’ recommendations, wherever they find you on the web by connecting +1s for your website, with +1s on your Google+ page and ads.

38. SEO Google +1 The +1 button has already spread across many sites, allowing site owners to amplify their content. If Google uses+1 as a core ranking factor in search,most developers would instantly add to ensure their ranking is maintained.

39. Measure Social media can sometimes feel like a fire hose of data. Google’s measurement tools will soon make it easier to understand Google+ activity: what people are saying about your business, how many +1's your business receives and how these affect your traffic. Google+ search search keywords, names or anything else. use your search results to understand better what people are saying about your brand reward superfans with rebate coupons help resolve customer service issues . Ripples let you see your posts spread across Google+, who’s sharing and resharing your content, and whose opinions matter. Analytics How do +1's affect user behavior? Google Analytics suite of social reports make it easy to find out. see aggregate, anonymized demographic information about the Google users who have +1’d your site.

40. Thanks for watching Questions? @Maria_Nas [email_address]