It’s finally true. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. That mark in internet history that shall be known forever as the day Facebook shook on its base. Lol. Not really. But a little over 24 hours ago, Google announced Google+ Pages for business, one of the most eagerly awaited pieces of its infant social project.

Back when Google+ launched in invitation-only Beta mode, tons of business, bands, and blogs rushed to create business accounts. We tried too. To everybody’s surprise, Google shut everybody down. With the exception of Ford, which was allowed to have its page as a test. Since then, over 40 million people have joined Plus and an exciting community now exists.

Watch Google VP Bradley Horowitz’ Announcement

Is It Time For Google+ Now?

We debated on Social Media Guerilla if Should Your Small Business Invest In Google+? and suggested creating a personal account that could act as a partial business news conduit. That just seemed too complicated.

Now, it’s time to get fully engaged in Google+ and dedicate as much as possible of your social media budget towards it. Why?

As you watch Bradley talk about how Google sees Plus as a way for them to learn more about their users and how to improve their experience using Google Products, which product specifically comes to mind? SEARCH. Early studies have attributed surprising results to the power of the +1 button for Search Engine Optimization.

And, if by “improved experience” you understood “tailoring your search results based on what your friends shared/recommended/reviewed”, then you should really be part of our staff – because you’re absolutely right.

Enters Google Direct Connect

Direct Connect takes advantage of HTML5 “rel” markup to establish a relationship between your Google+ Page and your company’s website. By determining that relationship, they’re able to show your company as the top result when searching with the “+” indicator. See below:

Of course, Google offers a very simple way for you to connect your site using the rel=”publisher” markup, using their Badge generator tool. You can see what is looks like at the bottom of our page.

But Direct Connect is just the beginning. The integration possibilities with Google Maps or Google Apps are endless, and when you add Google Analytics to track your efforts it just keeps getting better.

Want Assistance?

Our team has been knee-deep in Google+ since its release and we’re all very excited to help your business enjoy its benefits. As exciting as Google+ is, however, it is simply another tool in your inventory – and another to-do on your always-growing list. We’d be honored to help craft a solution that fits your goals, schedule, and budget. Leave us a comment, or use the contact form on this page to get in touch with us.