I often get asked if Google+ is search or social. My answer is always, “It’s both. And so much more.” But if I have to be honest with myself, and it pains me as a social media professional to admit it, Google+ is more search than anything else right now. Google is integrating Google+ activity within Google+ and across the web via +1 buttons. In fact, according to the recent Search Metrics SEO Ranking Factors Report, +1s are have the highest weight of all organic ranking factors. Couple this with Google+’s authorship and publisher markups, and Google+ is becoming a major (the major?) initiative for impacting search engine visibility. To learn more about Google+, check out this presentation from SMX Social Media Marketing where I cover the following: 1. Importance and Timeline 2. Integration with other digital marketing efforts (SEO, PPC, creative) 3. Optimization (authorship and publisher markup, post optimization) 4. Engagement (page engagement, communities, hangouts) 5. Content Promotion (using keywords and hashtags to increase awareness) 6. Measurement (Google Analytics, AllMyPlus, Circle Count) If you'd like to learn more about Location3 Media, please visit our site (www.location3.com) or contact us at hello@location3.com

1. Angie Pascale, Social Media Director | Location3 Media | www.Location3.com
GOOGLE+: MORE THAN A +1 TRICK
PONY
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3
@angiepascale | @Location3

2. The Many
Breeds of
Google+
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Photo Sources http://www.flickr.com/photos/22280677@N07/3569244220
Integrating
with Other
Digital
Efforts
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
Tracking
and
Measuring
@angiepascale | @Location3

3. The Many Breeds of Google+
Google+: More Than a +1 Trick Pony
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

4. The varied types and functionality of Google+ pages can make
your head spin.
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Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/porsche-linn/7085203423
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

5. Page Type
Verification
Vanity
URL
Posting
Ability
Personal Page
✔
✔
✔
Brand Page
✔
✔
✔
Local Google+
Page
✔
Google+ Local
Page
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✔
✔
Tabs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
About
Posts
Photos
Videos/YouTube
Reviews
+1s
1.
2.
3.
4.
About
Posts
Photos
Videos/YouTube
1.
2.
3.
4.
About
Posts
Photos
Videos/YouTube
1. About
2. Photos
Follow/+1
Buttons
Description
Add to
Circles
Cover
Image
Displays
in Google
Maps
Displays
in
Google+
Local
Reviews
Managers
Photo
Follow and
+1
• 5,000
characters
• Rich text
Photo
Follow and
+1
• 5,000
characters
• Rich text
Photo
+1 only
• 200
characters
Map
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
✔
✔
( if
verified)
✔
✔
✔
@angiepascale | @Location3
✔

6. Full posting capabilities.
Reviews tab signifies
personal page.
Personal Page
Large descriptions with
rich text and links.
Links to other sites, sources and social channels.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

7. Cover image is
uploaded photo.
Follow and +1 buttons
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Brand Google+ Page
Ability to post from page.
Link YouTube
account,
replaces
Videos tab.
Larger description (“Story”) with rich text,
tagline, contact info and links.
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

8. Cover image
is uploaded
photo.
Local Google+ Page
Follow and
+1 buttons
Ability to post from page.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
Map is included
in About tab.
Larger
description
(“Story”) with
rich text,
tagline,
contact info
and hours.
@angiepascale | @Location3

9. Google+
Local Page
Map is used as main cover photo
+1 button only.
Two tabs: About and Photos
Basic description.
Customers can leave reviews.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

10. LOCATION3
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

11. Integration with Other Digital
Efforts
Google+: More Than a +1 Trick Pony
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

12. Organic Search
•
Some links in About section of profile are dofollow.
•
Pages and posts accumulate PR.
•
Shared links are dofollow and pass value.
•
Posts are crawled and indexed almost immediately.
•
Each post has characteristics of a blog:
- Separate URL
- First ~50 characters become title
- Longer post lengths
- Full editing power at any time
- Reshares result in internal linking within G+
•
Authorship and publisher markup: Do not have direct
impact based on authority, but may someday and
currently can increase CTR by being more eye-catching.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
NO FOLLOW
LINK
DO FOLLOW
LINKS
@angiepascale | @Location3

13. Google+ Post ranks for “business
signs.” Note the meta description.
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While “business signs” is in the Google+ post, that’s not
what was used as the description.
Google pulled the description from the linked article.
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

14. Knowledge Graph
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

15. Imagery
High Quality
Google+ is very image heavy, thus having high
quality, engaging and high res imagery is
important for increasing CTR and engagement.
Animation
Experiment with GIFs and succession of similar
photos, which creates a gif-like image.
Cover images
New dimensions as of November 13! Still a 16:9
aspect, min 480x270 pixels.
Profile Photo
Larger version: Circumference – 120
Inscribed square – 84x84 px
Smaller version: Circumference – 43 px
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px;
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

16. Image Carousel
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Images are pulled from Google+ pages. If
there are no high quality images, map is
shown instead.
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

17. Virtual Tours
Allow customers to view the interior space of
your establishment. Having a virtual tour on
your Google+ page may impact ranking.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

18. Paid Media
Social Extensions
All +1s on paid search ads roll up to total on
Google+ brand page. Can increase
personalization in ads, increase ranking and
reach for Google+ page, and may contribute
to CTR overall.
Search ads with
annotations have 5-10%
uplift in CTR.
Shared Endorsements
Google+ connections and activity may be
included in paid search ads, according to
Google’s new terms. Applies to personal
and business pages.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

19. Tracking and Measurement
Google+: More Than a +1 Trick Pony
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

20. Google Analytics
See what content from your
website is being shared on
Google+ and referrals from
Google+ to your website.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

21. AllMyPlus.com
View insights about specific pages, or
search a query for data on all pages using
that term.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

22. See most popular posts based on engagement.
View post activity
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
View all activity by post.
@angiepascale | @Location3

23. AllMyPlus.com
Also view data for keyword searches.
Beneficial for:
• Finding influencers
• Monitoring competitors
• Generating content ideas
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

24. View Google+ stats on daily follower growth, virality of posts, who is sharing posts, and compare CircleRank to others.
CIRCLERANK OF SOME GOOGLE+ USERS/PAGES
Britney Spears
1
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The Economist
8
Barack Obama
45
H&M
56
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
NASA
708
GE
1,120
@angiepascale | @Location3

25. Ripples
See who shared posts to understand
their influence and determine if
establishing a relationship is
worthwhile.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

26. Merged
Google+ Local
After merging a Local Google+ page with a
Google+ Local page, you are provided access to
a new dashboard along with some insights.
Insights provide data on how people found
page, what they did on the page and how they
interacted with it.
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

27. Analytics for Local Pages
Views
•All views
•Profile views
•Post views
•Local search views
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Actions
•All actions
•New followers
•+1 clicks
•Shares
•Comments
•Clicks for more info on
Maps
•Clicks for driving
directions
•Clicks to website
•Posts data
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
Post views
•Shares
•+1s
•Comments
•Why posts were viewed
•Actions by content type
@angiepascale | @Location3

28. Analytics For Local Pages
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#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

29. The Many
Breeds of
Google+
Integrating with
Other Digital
Efforts
Tracking and
Measuring
Numerous types of
pages exist. Know
what’s out there for
your brand, and
determine which type
you need.
Google+ is not just a
social channel, and
cannot be viewed in a
silo. Take advantage of
all integration points.
Tracking is not ideal at
this time, but it’s new
and there are options.
Take the time to know
and dig into these tools
and data.
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Photo Sources http://www.flickr.com/photos/22280677@N07/3569244220
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3

30. FIND ME
Angie Pascale
Social Media Director
apascale@location3.com
@angiepascale
about.me/angiepascale
Location3.com
@Location3
facebook.com/Location3Media
LOCATION3
#SMXSocial13 | #SMX #14A
@angiepascale | @Location3