The Relation of Google+ and SEO

Everyone has heard of the new social networking website on the block, Google+. This is a recent effort from the house of Google to eradicate the competition of Facebook and Twitter. But have you ever wondered how the business website would now be affected in the Google search engine?

The +1 button

The social networking website’s “+1” button is likened to that of Facebook’s “Like” button. This would now similarly undermine the value of the website. Integrating this tool would enable the end-users add recommendations to the web content and the business website. The social networking prospective looks immense and with millions of followers, internet marketers have already started wondering how the “+1” would affect the business search engine optimization.

Google+ has amalgamated many interesting features of both Facebook and Twitter. They have a group chat section called the “Hangouts,” and end-user defined topical news feed (parallel to Twitter’s Hashtag) called the “Sparks.” Relevant to SEO is the “Google circles” that gives the users facility to be able to share content within the specified groups. The “circle” members can also view the +1d websites in the Google search engine pages.

Recommendations or being +1d

While this +1 is appearing on all those who are logged onto their profiles, we are still yet to find out how will it affect those who are not online. Since the Facebook “Likes” and the “retweets” do influence the ranking of the website, we have to assume that +1 would not be far behind.

The “likes” and the “tweets” are something social, adding value. They can be simply referred as the “trusted endorsements.” The reviews, recommendations, and even comments play an immense role in the shaping of the final decision. Users go beyond their trust circles to depend even on a complete stranger. Assuming these interactions to be honest, there still remains a lingering skepticism.

Now the scenario is different. People don’t rely on the strangers but on their trusted members of their “circle.” They see the references from people they are aware of, and base their opinion on them. This is the inherent potential of Google+.

Optimizing the recommendations

Search has always been about algorithms. With Google+, it is an attempt to make it more about the real people. With the +1, people are now empowered to influence the online activity strata. Optimizing these endorsements is complete new strategy. What the marketers should do is provide the ultimate end-user experience by influencing the recommendation everywhere they can.

The old SEO traditions are not dead. They have undergone some rapid changes that need to be integrated. Internet marketing has always been about strategies that facilitate the rise in the ranks. SEO Orange County provides feasible solutions that help you attain the new desired heights.

This is a guest post….