Google Plus and Its SEO Benefits
August 1, 2013
Sarvesh Bagla
At this point in the world of search engine optimization or even social media optimization, future notwithstanding, the fact that Google is an 800lb gorilla whose ring has be kissed is a no-brainer.
To an extent, the relevance of Google+ as an SEO benefactor is inclined towards the fact that it is more efficient for those brands that might need to reach out for tech heads; but there is absolutely no denying the fact that the demographic variety is growing and encompassing all and sundry with super speed.
So, in that sense maintaining an active profile on Google+ can facilitate your SMO activity and help in effective optimization. The question however is- how? What is the power of Google+ when it comes to SEO or SMO?
And here’s what Googe Plus’ head Vic Gundotra has to say on why Google Plus is way beyond just Google’s attempt to compete with other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter:‘It’s really the unification of all of Google’s services, with a common social layer.’
And we agree.
What he really means is that actively using a Google+ profile allows Google to tie in their interests with potential relevance to organic search results and advertising for users. While this might be more personalized, for businesses that want enhanced SEO plans, Google+ is almost an open invitation by Google to determine what should be given priority in search results.
The web influence of Google+ cannot be undermined by any standard andan active profile can help greatly in building both, personal and brand influence as well as a greater reach on the web. Since Google+ has a huge effect on personalized searches, it automatically translates to the fact that the bigger your network, there will be more people who will have their search results influenced by you.
The Benefit of Google Plus for SEO
- Verified Authorship = Rel = Author: If you’ve got verified accounts on G+, searches related to your keywords and website will appear with your photograph alongside them, consequently gaining you the trust of both, search engines and site visitors. The result? An almost guaranteed higher CTR.
- Increase Social authority: In the G+ world, every +1 is the equivalent of a ‘Like’ or a ‘Share’ on other social sites. This is an important social signal ranking factor since the higher the number of ‘pluses’ next to your name, the higher your ranking and visibility.
- Verified Publishers Page: A verified account from Google allows people to see your most recent posts to your G+ profile on the search page. The resulting benefit is a loyal following of readers, thereby gaining you social influence through search results.
- Verified Local Business Page: Having your local presence verified allows your target audience to review your page and services online. Based on Google’s guidelines, organizations with higher instances of positive reviews (in relation to their negative reviews) results in higher rankings and display ratings; i.e. higher rankings + strong display ratings = greater CTRs.
- Attract Natural Links: Good quality content is the foundation of good quality natural links. What you create and share on your G+ profile has very little meaning if the content you create is not original, valuable or share-worthy. Once you’re doing that, the high-quality, natural links are bound to follow. Find example , given below, of Techmagnate’s popular blog post which get viral in Social Media , got a link from upcity.com and some other sites too :
- ‘DoFollow’ on Links Posted: Once you update your profile, remember to post the relevant link along with what you’re sharing. While images receive more attention on other social sharing sites, on G+ all relevant and valuable links are given more credit. A ‘dofollow’ supported by Google is worth every bit of its weight in gold.
Did you know that Google+ profile and pages actually have PageRank? What this means is that Google+ profiles are almost as effective as any other web page when it comes to search authority and can be used to benefit SEO efforts.
While it’s not possible to know the exact algorithm of how these pages gain PageRank, a safe assumption would be that they do so by gaining links from authoritative web pages. Additionally, another source of gain is interaction with other profiles; something that never goes unnoticed by Google.So once again, quality is beating quantity.
Bearing all the above factors in mind, it makes complete sense to invest time and energy in creating a strong strategy and working actively towards acquiring quality backlinks for ones’ Google Plus profile. Only then can the potential of the network beyond just being a social tool can be understood and exploited.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. Call us, we are Delhi based seo company and we’ll help you navigate the entire process.