Are you maximising your marketing efforts with Google+? We are—connect with us to share insurance and industry information and stay in the loop on Zywave news. And if you need help getting started, read on.
Benefits of Google+
If you’re not yet on Google+, you may be wondering what is so special about this site – especially if you already are on other social networks. Here are some of benefits of Google+ for your business:
- The site is indexed by Google search, so clients can find and connect with your brokerage easier (and it expands your brokerage’s online presence).
- “Circles” allow you to follow who you want, segment your followers and easily target your content to specific audience segments.
- Google+ makes it easy to share posts, photos, videos, etc.—making it easy for you to share content and, more importantly, for your own content to be shared.
The basics
You can create a company profile page on Google+ using your company name. Underneath your company name on the page, write a descriptive and engaging blurb about what your business does, and then expand on that in the About section. You can also add photos and videos to make your page more engaging and add a visual component to your brand.
The way you follow individuals is by adding them to a circle (then you will see what they post). The person/business must add you back in order for them to also see what you post.
3 tips for executing
If you’re ready to get started on Google+, keep these suggestions in mind:
1. Take advantage of sharing capabilities.
- Like any social site, you should post your own information and content, but also take advantage of the great sharing capabilities of Google+.
- When sharing, don’t just click the share button—add your own feedback. People want to hear what you think and this is an opportunity to further your brand identity.
- Share things consistent with your image and brand, and always think of what will be relevant, meaningful and interesting to your followers.
2. Use circles to your advantage.
- Circles allow you to segment your followers into groups. You can then view your activity feed by circle and post content specifically to one or more circles.
- Before you add followers, create circles that are relevant for your brokerage. Examples might be Staff, Insurance News, Clients, Prospects, etc. Also consider segmenting your clients. For instance, you could make a circle for each line of business or segment by niche industry. Then as you choose who to follow, add them to relevant circle(s) straight away. Remember, they also have to add you to their own circle before they will see your content.
- When posting or sharing content, think about which circles make sense for your audience. Some content can go to all circles (or Public) for more exposure, but reserve targeted content for specific circles, so your followers see the content most relevant to them.
3. Interact with your followers.
- Don’t just share information with your followers, engage with them. Build up trust and brand credibility by interacting.
- For instance, if someone comments on your content, respond. Try to start conversations or ask engaging questions to get people talking.
- Don’t just focus on your page. Look at the posts on your stream and interact—+1 or comment on other people’s posts or comments to get your brand more exposure.
Looking for more social media tips and advice? Check out our Succeed with Social Media series in Broker Briefcase, full of tips, advice and examples for your brokerage (and your clients) to use social media to the advantage of your business.