Google+ is now one of the newest media tools that businesses can use to connect to potential customers and fans while also generating new leads.
In order to increase your following on Google+ you should first (1.) optimize and populate your Google+ page with content. You should never start promoting anything until it is 100% ready to go. This includes a new blog or a new social presence. As such you should optimize your Google+ page before you promote it.
Build you page up with content and make sure there are posts ready for when you start promoting it. This ensures that when visitors go to your Google+ page they will enjoy a positive experience immediately. You don’t want potential customers to see a blank page. You want them to see value and see what they would be missing out on if they didn’t follow your business.
Once you know your page is ready, then it is time to promote. (2.) Start sharing the existence of your page on your other social networks. You can leverage the ‘following’ you have built on other sites and encourage them to look into and follow your new Google+ page.
You can then use a business blog and (3.) write a post encouraging your users to follow your Google+ page or specific circles that will have relevant content tailored to their interests.
When you use Google+ for your business you can (4.) make your company more eligible for Direct Connect. This is a unique feature that allows businesses to be found easier on the web with a custom Google+ URL. You can search “+ company name” within the Google.com and your business’s Google+ page will be pulled directly. These searches will also show your page as it relates to other circles of which you are a part. This will increase your visibility and your followers.
Another way that you can increase your following is to (5.) integrate your Google+ page on your company website. You can install the G+ button so that visitors to your site and click on it and see your page. You can install buttons for G+ on your business page which will help your company convert visitors to your website into followers on your Google+ page.
You can also (6.) Encourage your current followers to share any posts on your Google+ page. They can re-share information they find valuable as it relates to your company. This can increase your visibility as a company while also increasing your Google+ page and its visibility. Overall it will expand your reach.
You can (7.) Create niche topic circles to share specific targeted content to your followers. For example: Build a circle, post content and see which users are engaging with each topic. Create a specific topic circle and add those people who engage with that topic in those circles.
Not only are you building a quality circle of people who are regularly engaging your providing content to your followers that they are specifically interested. Result: your followers feel more valued, there is a higher potential for converting followers into leads and you will organically increase your following.
(8.) Always share great content. This means webinars, articles and videos. You want to post relevant content that attracts more users to your Google+ page. (9.) Get some professional graphic design! A boring page may have great content but if it is not visually appealing people may not follow. You need to remember people have small attention spans with the new social media age. Make your page look amazing, and you will get amazing results.
When you use Google+ you need to (10.) integrate it into a variety of other Google features, including Google Places and Google Maps. This is how you can expand your following and encourage new customers.