What the what? How do I have a Google+ account? I mean, I do know Amanda and that’s cool and all but I can’t manage another social media medium! What am I supposed to do with this?

First, calm down. Deep, cleansing breaths. There. Okay. 

Look, Google is (in case you don’t already know this) a HUGE company that pretty much controls the internets. (Maybe not really and please don’t email me about it. It just feels like they do, k?) So, when the Google monster rolls out a product, they can really mean business. And Google+ is exactly that: a product designed perfectly for your business! Not sure why and how you could possibly use it? Here are a few key ways:

•  Post your blogs, your links, and everything you post elsewhere on Google+. Since Google is one of the largest search engines in the world (sorry, Bing), you increase your SEO by posting on their own forum. Don’t you think Google gives preference with SEO to their own site? You betcha.

•  Be a joiner. By interacting in Google+ Communities, you can also increase your SEO. What you talk about and share here gets attached to you and tracked back to your Google+ profile and then you are world famous on the interwebs for discussing crochet. You are now a crochet expert in the eyes of the Google. Well done (if your goal was to be recognized as a crochet expert, that is)

•  Hangout! Google Hangouts are amazing. I was in one recently  and technology is, like, seriously awesome. We had 6 women all hanging out chatting with each other and the screen would toggle around to our faces when we talked but we could still see little images of each other. It’s just, magic. AND people could watch in and ask questions LIVE. Wicked cool. Use a hangout in your biz to connect with people all around the world, and use Hangouts On Air to reach a huge audience and promote you latest offering.

• Get social! Okay, I know it takes a little more work but don’t tell me you don’t have 2-3 minutes a couple of times a week (I see you on Facebook doing nothing….why not get a little social!) Oh, and being social on Google+ increases your exposure and, anyone who knows anything about business marketing can tell you, being exposed is a good thing in this case.

Okay, so Google+ is a quiet and elusive social media giant, apparently huh? Yep. You’ve gotta use it. Take some time to get in the swing of it. Or add it in to your Buffer App or Hootsuite account to allow you to pre-schedule that shiz. Done and done.

And since we’re talking Google+, hit me up over there (add me to your circle or +1 something I’ve posted that you love). Let’s make a big, broad community of Google+ embracing peeps.

I’m not saying you’ve gotta love it, but I am saying you’ve gotta do it.

xo