Google+ Brand Pages Hold Lots of Potential
Today, Google announced the launch of the much anticipated brand pages for Google+. They look similar to regular Google+ profiles, except for a square that indicates it’s a page instead of a profile. Users can add brands to their circles they same way they add individuals, and brands can track their follower count similarly.
There is a lot of potential for Google+ business pages for both businesses and consumers, and here are a few reasons why I’m excited about brand pages from both a user and marketer perspective:
1. Business Communications Customized
As many businesses learned when they jumped on Facebook, it’s not just about pushing your message to consumers, it’s a conversation. As consumers have the ability to dictate who sees a message in Google+, they have a little more control over whether the conversation is between them and the brand, or the public and their brand. Additionally, by turning on and off certain circles, it allows consumers to decide when they want to see topical or marketing content.
2. Customer Service
Closely related to the last point, businesses have discovered they need to be prepared to address customer complaints, comments, questions, etc. in any medium they choose to participate in. Not only does Google+ allow businesses to address written customer complaints, but the “Hangout” feature allows businesses to give customers immediate, face-to-face interactions. Personally, I think this face-to-face video interaction has the ability to flip customer service on its head.
3. Search & Discover
No one does search better than Google, and with brands joining Google+, it should be easier to find what you’re looking for on a brand. It’s likely consumers have similar questions or needs, and a simple search of a brands Google+ history should be able to help you find what you’re looking for, but if not, you can hopefully get the answer that perhaps someone else is also looking for. Additionally, the ability for brands and individuals to post information marries Google’s search capabilities with the ability to serendipitously discover new things from brands and individuals.
4. Analytics
There are also few companies that do analytics better than Google. While this platform gives brands the ability to get written and verbal feedback from users, the analytics will give them unspoken information about their consumers’ habits. Google is certain to give brands incredibly more information about the platform than Facebook, giving them informatino about not just how many followers they have, but interactions, actions (clicks), and potentially sales (if incorporated similar to Adwords).
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