Google Plus vs Facebook

Google Plus, Facebook Pages

Can Google plus rival Facebook pages

Or can they compliment each other.

Google plus has been around now for awhile so what does it mean for your business?

Some background first.

Google are constantly trying to create a better user experience. They do this by adjusting the way they pull the information together when showing it in the search results page.

Traditionally they use keywords/phrases matched with the content in a page to test relevance, they then look at the number of links (backlinks) to your site from other websites and the authority which those websites have. (The higher the authority the site carrying your links is, the better)

Now Google are not only doing the above but they are also looking at the human reviews carried in the Google places, reviews page.

Google Places review page

This is becoming more and more relevant as Google are rolling out more changes in the not too distant future which place more importance on your reviews and ratings. Your goals is to build at least 30 reviews to your business with a 4 star rating or better. (This is important and you should be working towards this)

Facebook Pages

Similar to Google Plus, Facebook pages are used to generate that social buzz around your business. With either of these social media sites you should be looking at ways to collect the contact details of your customers into your own database.

How to get your social media working for you

Set up your social pages.

Google have Google Plus, Facebook have Pages, you could also look at Linkdin.

Once you have your page set up you need to provide information that people are looking for. (If you went through the exercise of understanding your customer, you will know what problems they have and how your business can provide the solution)

• Give people a reason to interact with you on the social sites, get influencial people and incentivise (you know the people who have a large following already)
• encourage them through incentives to visit your website and register their details in your database (this requires you to have an optin autoresponder setup and then you can provide the information easily)
• work with your database list to provide great information and add great value which benefits them (Don’t send out emails just for the sake of emailing, that is spamy)

Summary

Both these sites have there place and should be used. Be mindful of never giving up your gold (your gold is your database) Build it on your own site and then you are in control in case these sites disapear in the future.

Google has a feature called Circles, which allows your to segment your followers into groups and communicate with the individual groups seperately if you want. It is also still the largest search engine for people searching for services.

Facebook have a host of personal data which when you start using paid advertising can be a great way of specifically targeting customers. It is fantastic for generating that buzz, similar to the casual chat people have where recommendations are often made.

Both however are just platforms designed to make their owners money. So remember everything they do is in their own interest, know the rules and work with in them and you can prosper.

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