Google+ Gives New Take on Company Pages

What’s the big deal about the ability to make one of these pages for your company?  After all, it’s still in beta testing, so why the excitement? The concept could turn out to be a dud, but there are good reasons to think Google+ brand pages could grow into something big. Check out this handy article where Mashable shows us how to make company pages.

Google is now in a position to learn from what did and didn’t work with Facebook company pages. They don’t have to make Facebook’s mistakes, but can build on the most successful aspects from the groundbreaking linkage of brand messaging and conversation. Problems like the insufficient tracking and customizing options can be avoided this time around, and Google+ benefits along with the businesses that choose to use it. Since much of the criticism about Facebook’s company pages lies in areas for which Google offers the best solutions out there, Google+ could be a smash hit for marketers. Great customization and incredibly detailed analytic ability are sure to be huge draws. Following the leader in this case means that Google+ brand pages can hit the world with all the refinements that come from watching and learning.

Speaking of leaders, Google is without a doubt the most powerful and popular search engine. Not surprisingly, Google+ soars when it comes to search integration. Google+ Direct Connect lets you link your Google+ brand page directly to the biggest search engine in the world. This feature is still in the experimental stage. When searchers enter a brand or company name, they can go directly to the brand page or add it to their circles from the search page. Going straight to the brand page is a dream come true for most companies, who can make their pages the central hub for organizing online information and engaging clients as well as potential clients in real time. This ability brings with it new ease in sharing the information you choose with those who are looking for it. Your company’s brand page should link to your company Web page too, of course.

Google’s recent acquisition of Katango will be an added benefit for Google+ users. It automatically groups a person’s social contacts into lists based on certain characteristics, which will make it much easier for users to share posts with specific groups without taking the time to manually create lists. This would be perfect for quickly sharing business-related posts with co-workers.

Google+ and its new brand pages are an experiment with an awful lot of potential to change the shape of marketing. Make your firm a page and be part of it. You’ve got nothing to lose and a world of clients to gain.

What do you think? Will this make people start using Google+ more?