Brands have been waiting to get on Google+ since its release in June. Many created accounts as soon as the site was opened only to have Google kick them off. With the success brands have seen on Facebook and Twitter it is understandable why Google+ would cause some excitement. After kicking these companies off, they started working on a page for brands that would ultimately be the most beneficial to companies and consumers alike. It rolled out a statement November 7 announcing that Google+ Pages is open. Here are a few things to prepare you for Google+ Pages:
Direct Connect
Google is making it as easy as possible to find your brand on Google+. With Direct Connect all you have to do to connect to a brand is search “+” and the name of the brand. (So if you are looking for Pepsi type “+Pepsi”). This will take you to their Google+ Page and from there you can add them to your circles.
Hangouts
Perhaps the best feature to date is the Hangouts feature. With Hangouts brands can create an online real-time video chat with many followers at once. As stated in the official Google blog, “Not only can they recommend you with a +1, or add you to a circle to listen long-term. They can actually spend time with your team, face-to-face-to-face. All you need to do is start sharing, and you’ll soon find the super fans and loyal customers that want to say hello.” The Muppets where the first Page to take advantage of the Hangouts feature.
Promotion Policy
You will notice that Google+ is more restrictive for brands than Facebook. Google will not allow brand Pages to host contests or promotions directly on their page. Instead they are allowed to display a link that points to a separate site where the promotion is based, such as Facebook.
Opinions have surfaced on the web as to why Google+ has enforced such a restrictive policy. Sarah Perez of TechCrunch says, “This could be a matter of Google just not being ready to deal with the overhead, the spam or the potential fraud that contest would inevitably bring to the network. But it could also be reflective of a broader vision that Google has for its social network- one where it’s not about tricking users into “liking” a brand in order to win something but one where users and brands have a different type of conversation.”
No matter the reason it certainly isn’t keeping brands away. The first day Google reported the following brands that had pages up and running:
All American Rejects, Anderson Cooper 360, Angry Birds, Barcelona Football Club, Burberry, Dallas Cowboys, Good Morning America, H&M, Macy’s, Modelland, The Muppets, Pepsi, Phoenix Suns, Save the Children, Special Report with Bret Baier, Toyota, Train, WWE, X Games, Zen Bikes
We will be keeping a close eye on the progress of Google+ Pages and will be sure to keep you posted.
