This guest post is by Scott Caldwell of WorldVentures.
Google announced in a blog post Monday that Google+ is now allowing organizations to create pages, after months of Google+ accounts being restricted to individual users.
Since its beta launch in June, the social media world has been fixated on Google+. Stories have covered everything from adoption rates to whether it can dethrone Facebook and attract the masses.
Members of the general public and social media pundits may disagree on the usefulness of Google+, but best-selling authors Guy Kawasaki and Chris Brogan say it is here to stay. Their advice Thursday at BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Los Angeles: Get on board now.
Four key take-aways from their talk:
- It’s where passionate people hang out. Facebook is for your friends and family, the people you already know. But Google+ is where people go to connect with others who are passionate about their interests that they don’t know yet. Whether it’s ice hockey, cars or photography, the early adopters on Google+ are discovering each other and making connections that wouldn’t have existed otherwise.
- Better sharing than Facebook. Without Edgerank arbitrarily deciding who gets to see your posts, you can be sure all your connections are getting what you share. And according to Kawasaki, the level of engagement is much higher. Plus, with Circles, you can share content only with specific groups and help prevent sharing fatigue.
- It’s great for SEO. Kawasaki pointed out that Google doesn’t index all of Facebook, and they no longer index Twitter, but public content on Google+ is already pulling up in the ranks. That’s crucial for anyone trying to market their brand. A search for authors is showing how many Circles they’re in, which is great for credibility.
- They were right about Twitter. Brogan wrapped up by sharing their track record with Twitter; essentially laying down the “I told you so” card. In 2006, he was on it, and people thought it was stupid. Guy got on in 2007. A couple of years later adoption rates continued to increase, and today it’s a huge force. And now in 2011, he and Kawasaki are saying Google+ is “gonna’ be big.”