Google has announced the launch of Google+ Pages, pages specifically engineered for businesses on Google+. While Google indicated that Google+ Pages wouldn't be immediately accessible to all, it looks like they're actually becoming readily available. (In fact, we've already created HubSpot's Google+ Page, so you can follow our updates and add HubSpot to one of your Circles by clicking here!)
With a network of more than 40 million members, Google+ is indeed deserving of your marketing attention, so smart marketers should set up their Google+ Pages as soon as possible. But don't worry -- it's simple! Here are 5 easy steps to create a Google+ Page for your business.
1. Choose an Accessible Gmail Account
If we learned anything from creating our own account, it's that Google+ Pages' administrative capabilities could use improvement. Avoid creating your business page through just any old account, such as a personal gmail account. Instead, choose a gmail account that is accessible to multiple members of your marketing team (e.g. companymarketingteam@gmail.com), and use that account to create your page. Because Google+ Pages' administrative capabilities currently don't seem to be as sophisticated as Facebook's (which enable you to assign multiple page admins regardless of the page's origins), you'll want to choose a host account that makes your page as accessible to multiple contributors as possible.
Note: Because of overwhelming user feedback, the 'Google+ Your Business' Google+ Page (confused yet?) has indicated that Google+ has already started working on multi-admin support and ownership transfer, which will be available in the coming weeks/months. For now, we recommend making your account as accessible to other team members as possible.
2. Create a Page with the Desired Account
Visit http://plus.google.com/pages/create, and if you see the option to create a Google+ Page, get started! Follow the wizard (it's much like Facebook's Page wizard), and choose the most appropriate option to classify your business. You'll be able to select from the following options:
- Local Business or Place
- Product or Brand
- Company, Institution or Organization
- Arts, Entertainment or Sports
- Other
After selecting your classification, fill in your basic information, including your page name (i.e. your company name), your business' website URL, your category (i.e. your industry), and the classification of your page's content (i.e. any Google+ user, 18 years of age or older, etc.).
3. Customize Your Public Profile
The third step involves customizing your public profile. The profile basics include your tagline (think of it as your business' elevator pitch) and an image (your company logo is a great option).
4. Promote Your Page
At this point, you've created the skeleton of your page, and Google+ will now prompt you to promote your page. Our recommendation is to customize your page even further and start sharing a few updates before you begin telling the world about it. Promoting a blank page isn't a great way to convince people that your Page is valuable enough to add to their Circles. So invest some time into optimizing your page and sharing a few links to valuable content before you start promoting it to the masses.
5. Get Going!
At the most basic level, this is really all you need to do to get your page launched. But as any smart marketers know, the 'basics' aren't usually enough. Intelligent marketers understand the importance of optimizing their page to make it not only more engaging, but also more valuable and effective for lead generation. In this step, follow Google+'s prompts to create an effective page, and remember -- Google+ is a social network. Although every social network has its specific nuances and behaviors, many of the same best practices will still apply. Regularly share fresh content, react and respond to your fans, be engaging, and optimize for lead generation. Then measure, adapt your strategy, and optimize your presence based on your own individual results and goals.
Have you set up your Google+ Page yet? The network is still VERY new for businesses, so share what you've learned in the comments below. And be sure to add HubSpot to your Circles for our latest updates in Google+!
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Sookie Shuen 9:08 AM on November 08, 2011
I have setup my company's Google+ business page. Can you let me know how can I link my old Google+ account email to my Google Apps account email so I don't have to create multiple accounts?
Hanifa Dungarwalla 9:09 AM on November 08, 2011
Just created my google+ business page. Not sure how great it is but it's done and ready to go! Have a look. Is there anyway to customize the url? https://plus.google.com/u/0/103229643128893833260/posts
Sookie Shuen 9:20 AM on November 08, 2011
Hi Hanifa, Yes there is a way to shorten your URL. Either you use Bit.ly or this: http://gplus.to/
Please add us on your circle too!
http://gplus.to/TomorrowPeople
Mentri0so 10:02 AM on November 08, 2011
Really helpful stuff. Also seen another tutorial just like this, also worth checking out
http://blog.clock.co.uk/2011/11/08/how-to-set-up-your-companys-google-profile/
Karleen Hubley 10:32 AM on November 08, 2011
I will use an account horseflynetteam@gmail.com. Do I assume that I create this account on my computer first? Thanks for the tutorial. I need all the help I can get in social media.
Tom Egelhoff 10:51 AM on November 08, 2011
Well set it up but not real happy yet. Can't seem to edit my picture. Whatever picture I try to put on my business profile shows up on my personal Google+ page but nothing on my business page. Also any changes I make to my business page takes me back to my personal page. Have to put in the URl to get back to my business page and then I think I am considered a visitor since I can't edit posts but I can fill out my profile. Doesn't make sense. . HELP.
Lauren McMullen 10:52 AM on November 08, 2011
Excellent post! Thanks for sharing.
I am wondering should we post the same info to our personal profile and business page or should it be different?
Leanne Rumsey 10:58 AM on November 08, 2011
Thanks for the heads-up and the tutorial. Just another of the many reasons I LOVE HubSpot. Seriously, the "Like" button just doesn't cut it. Need a "Love" button for you fine folks there at HubSpot.
Mary Robinson 11:09 AM on November 08, 2011
Is there a way to customize the URL for Google+ pages yet?
Jessica 12:41 PM on November 08, 2011
Will HubSpot add the Google+ icon into the Social Media Accounts "follow me" module options?
Ferris Stith 12:45 PM on November 08, 2011
Same question as Hanifa and Mary - how do you customize the page URL? Sookie, I see you did it for your page already... would you mind sharing with us how to do this?
Julie Minevich 1:39 PM on November 08, 2011
Hi,
I wanted to set up a Google+ page for businesses through our generalcompanyemail@gmail.com address, but it requires me to join Google+ as a personal account (tied to that e-mail address) first. I entered OUR (first name) and COMPANY (last name) but then remembered about Google's strict "real names only" policy -- and received an error. How are people signing up for Google+ using these generic e-mails? I wouldn't want to use my name on company account because I think that would get confusing to keep the company account (with my name) and my personal account (on my personal e-mail) separate.
Dana 2:24 PM on November 08, 2011
What is the point of Google+ and/or Google Business Pages? Will it improve my page rank, SEO, SEM, SERP? How many people actually use Google+? Honestly, I don't want to confuse people and have a Google+ Business Page appear in SERP with my company website.
A Gilmore 3:08 PM on November 08, 2011
Great information to go along with your blog yesterday. We are quick at work setting it up.
Alex Gilmore 3:11 PM on November 08, 2011
If you implement everything that Google allows it will always benefit the SEO of your site. They are not going to say it will not or how much it does for the reason that are obvious.
Su Butcher 4:25 PM on November 08, 2011
Is there a way to feed RSS into your Google + page?
Would be interested to know.
Alexandra Gibson 4:25 PM on November 08, 2011
This was really helpful. I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of setting up the page as it's so similar to Facebook.
For visual learners, we created a video tutorial on setting up a Google+ business page.
Darren McLaughlin 4:30 PM on November 08, 2011
I'm all set up. It was pretty easy overall. Looks like this could be a great thing for small businesses.
JOY JENNINGS 6:02 PM on November 08, 2011
Anyone having trouble with using a logo that's small enough? Whether I upload a big or small version of our logo, it is too big to fit the "drag the region below" window. Using the resize tool doesn't help--just makes the logo fuzzy. Any advice?
Scott 12:33 AM on November 09, 2011
thanks for the walkthrough, Super easy setup, I love it. I've written a article on getting started with Google+ and linked to your post. thx
How to Get Started with Google+ Business Pages
adam 4:02 AM on November 09, 2011
I think the setup is not really what we should be focussing on, but the value of the social engagement metrics we will be able to use from having a Google+ page. That's something I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into, and no doubt businesses will be just as eager to start segmenting their customers in this way.
Sookie Shuen 5:07 AM on November 09, 2011
Hi Ferris,
Like I mentioned, I used http://gplus.to Just key in what username you want with the ID (as seen from your profile url) then it will automatically generate this short url for you like this: http://gplus.to/TomorrowPeople
Viola!
Christi 10:11 AM on November 09, 2011
Finally, what we've been waiting for from Google. Thanks for the instructions. Now the battle begins - Google vs Facebook!
Phoenix web design
Ruth 11:49 AM on November 09, 2011
Joy, your logo must be perfectly square. Same pixels both height and width.
Krystal Hobbs 11:56 AM on November 09, 2011
I have the same question as Sookie above. If I already created a personal account using my personal email, do I have to create a separate account if I don't want the company page tied to my personal email?
adam 11:59 AM on November 09, 2011
We had the same problem today, actually. I normally run a lot of our stuff through my account, but the Google+ page used all my data, so I had to quickly get rid of it! Best to avoid using personal accounts.
gabriela alvarado 12:50 PM on November 09, 2011
We have setup the company's Google+ business page and our brands included. Great tutorial! pretty simple and straight forward.
Laptisor de matca 2:21 PM on November 09, 2011
Your article has helped me.
Honey 2:23 PM on November 09, 2011
I do not even know how
Peter 3:33 PM on November 09, 2011
Whoa. Holy confusing batman!
Anyone else having a hard time figuring out how to add people to your circles?
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Milo 1:36 AM on November 10, 2011
@Sookie @Krystal Hobbes @Adam
We've got the same question: we don't want to run Google+ through a personal gmail acct. I think we'll get around it by just using a business acct employing company names in place of first and last. This may be frowned on, but whether or not it's actively prevented, I dunno.
SJM 6:27 AM on November 10, 2011
Hi folks,
One question: I set up the "Google+" account attached to our company marketing Google Account. Then I created a page for our business. But how to differentiate between the two? Is there a way to "hide" the non-Page account from public view, so that people can only find the actual Business Page? Otherwise SERPs might show both the regular Google+ account attached to our email, as well as this new "page"
Any advice much appreciated!
Terry Power 10:15 AM on November 10, 2011
Created mine the other day. http://goo.gl/imivu
Feel free to add it to your circles
Krystal Hobbs 11:53 AM on November 10, 2011
@Milo Yes, my only fear with using the company name and creating a new Google + account is that our followers will confuse the individual account with the business page. I'm not sure how to avoid this issue.
Engraving Excellence 1:26 PM on November 10, 2011
Very useful. I wondered what all the fuss with Google+ was about. Better get on with it!
Amy Ziegelman 2:21 PM on November 10, 2011
I don't see the option to create a page...do you have a screenshot of that?
Ferris Stith 2:46 PM on November 10, 2011
Ok, I'm having issues, lol. I set up the biz page which I connected to a Google+ personal account, but I can't seem to find the admin access to the biz page anywhere??? HELP!
Ferris Stith 5:08 PM on November 10, 2011
Nevermind, I figured it out, was having a blonde moment :)
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White's Nursery 3:50 PM on November 12, 2011
Besides a Facebook fan page and a google business page, where else should I be looking to create a presence?
Elizabeth 10:33 AM on November 14, 2011
I have set up my Google+ page for our business. I must have missed a step because it tells me that my page is suspended because it doesn't meet the naming requirements. We are using a generic email so all company personnel can manage the page. I am curious how people created a business page and got around this.
Paul Kirtley 6:36 PM on November 16, 2011
Hi
That was a really useful post. I managed to set a company Google+ page up in minutes.
Thanks also for the tips from other commenters, particularly the url-shortening.
Here's what I've set up:
http://gplus.to/FrontierBushcraft
Thanks again!
Kelly 10:02 PM on November 16, 2011
Thanks guys that was helpful... anyone know how to delete a page once it's been started? I didn't read this post until after I started setting the page up under my personal google account.
Sue 9:19 PM on November 26, 2011
Thanks for the post and the Google+ For Business ebook. If I am a sole proprietor/single entity business, should I add a Google+ page to my personal account or open an additional Google e-mail account for my business? Your input/feedback is much appreciated. Thank you
R. Smith 12:09 AM on November 30, 2011
Dominate Google + business pages before your competition even knows about it!
http://www.jvzoo.com/c/748/105