Google+ Pages for Business Launched

[netmeg]

Direct Connect from Google search
People search on Google billions of times a day, and very often, they're looking for businesses and brands. Today's launch of Google+ Pages can help people transform their queries into meaningful connections, so we're rolling out two ways to add pages to circles from Google search. The first is by including Google+ pages in search results, and the second is a new feature called Direct Connect.

[googleblog.blogspot.com...]

(Of course, I can't get in yet, so ...)

[J_RaD]

so is this like google places for everyone?


man pretty soon googs search results will just return only goog services.

[netmeg]

No, it's more like Facebook pages.

[robzilla]

Works for me. Just created a page for the heck of it.

[jecasc]

I don't know. I liked Google better when it was just a simple search box.

[mhansen]

Works for me.

I get the "Still in Private Beta" message when trying to create a business page...

[J_RaD]

No, it's more like Facebook pages.

Ooooo I see.


again, i'd rather have my traffic going to MY WEBSITE instead of to someone elses party.

[ember]

i'd rather have my traffic going to MY WEBSITE instead of to someone elses party.

I agree. Why do I want traffic to my Facebook page? I can't make money there. I make money when traffic comes to MY site, not Zuckerberg's site. Yes, some FB traffic will click through to my site, but I'd rather spend my time and money promoting my own site. Maybe Direct Connect will be different but I doubt it.

[MrFewkes]

Its like groundhog day.

[breeks]

Made a page they look almost exactly like Facebook pages. I don't see any way to make a seo friendly url yet its just a series of numbers. Just one more chore to do to.

[AlyssaS]

Why do I want traffic to my Facebook page? I can't make money there. I make money when traffic comes to MY site, not Zuckerberg's site. Yes, some FB traffic will click through to my site, but I'd rather spend my time and money promoting my own site.

This is only the case if you monetize with Adsense (or some other PPC or PPM advertising). If you actually sell stuff (or even if you are an affiliate marketer), you can make money directly on Facebook. It's an additional source of traffic and one people should not ignore.

[McMohan]

The only way Google can make this work is by spreading the rumor sites with Google+ Pages are given a boost in SERPs :-)

[indyank]

Made a page they look almost exactly like Facebook pages. I don't see any way to make a seo friendly url yet its just a series of numbers. Just one more chore to do to.

Man, don't get trapped in this deep hole. Look at the prospects of Google demanding their "Quality" as they get stronger. You site should always remain "Vital" for your products and not theirs, any time.

It is a trap and yes they may even attract you with offers on "SERP Poisoning".

Never put all the eggs in one basket.

[np2003]

Is it possible to create unique usernames? People rushed to create their FB pages so they could reserve their company name, its like registering a domain name... You want to create www.facebook.com/businessname/ so no one takes it..

Google + pages for business are all like this...
[plus.google.com...]

Very pointless..

How do you advertise your Google+ page on TV?

Angry Birds! Find out more at:
[plus.google.com...]

vs
Angry Birds! Find out more at:
wwww.facebook.com/angrybirds/

[jecasc]

At least we know now why they replaced the + with "" recently for exact search terms.

[TheWebSurgery]

THank you for sharing it with us, i was searching for how to create a business page for my site, but couldn't find it earlier..

[bill]

I made a few pages today, but they do look sparse compared to a FB page. I'm hoping G+ Pages will be getting more features soon.

This has been what a lot of companies said they were waiting for. I can't say I'm overly impressed with the current feature set either, but I'll bet these G+ Pages will be more valuable web real estate that an FB Page in no time.

[MrFewkes]

np2003 - I dont understand why you want to help google - they do things like that because they dont understand real people with real issues - and they dont care - there is your exact proof. That is a prime example of them being "them". So now you have helped them better themselves and dominate the internet even more.

Dont you think they own enough already?

[levo]

I dont understand why you want to help google

Anyone can register any brand name as a Google+ page, no unique URLs/usernames. With Google Direct, you have to prove that you're 'the one' by getting most +s and followers. Quite clever...

[MattSEO]

Do you know when that arrives in Google in France ?

[viggen]

Just be careful when you want to create a page for your company, you might be in for trouble. It is pretty lame if you thinkt about that they had 5 months to figure out how brand pages should work (page accoutn to only one individual, no multi admins possible etc.). (and when Scoble a real hard pusher for Google Plus, complains, than you know) [scobleizer.com...]

[HuskyPup]

This company's naivety amazes me...do they honestly believe that no company, absolutely no company, did not connect with each other before they came along?

Absolutely unfreakin' believable, they have no idea whatsoever how the real business world works...or too many children are now in charge of the shop having had no apprenticeship telling a whole load more of chidren with no friggin' idea!

Here's a suggestion for all those knobheads...leave your phones, pdas, laptops, tablet pcs and ipads at home and go to Asia, rural Asia for a week or two and see how the real world works without your stuffin' tweaks and manipulations...then you'll learn just how insignificant Google actually is.

I can feel a desert island comin' along very soon.

[netmeg]

I created all mine. Then went back to work on stuff that matters now.

[albo]

Sure: see it coming? An evolved version of GAfYD: why have your own site when you'll get better search ranking from a G+ page (or, eventually, set of pages). We are the Gorg: resistance is futile.

[oliondor]

At least we are sure that FB will die soon...

[Reno]

I want to make sure I understand this correctly (am a little fuzzy this morning). In other words, is this what is in the future:

People can create a Google+ page for their biz, optimize that page the best they can with focused & relevant content, then when someone somewhere uses Google search, the SERPs will include Google+ pages? (along with YT, AdWords, Google News, Google Maps, local results, eBay, Amazon, Wikipedia, and the one or two organics).

If that is what's coming, then do we even have a choice?

.......................

[netmeg]

Yea, and say I name my Google+ page netmeg, then supposedly if you type +netmeg you go right to my Google+ page (and not my website)

And why would I want that?

For this I had to give up my + search operator.

[Reno]

From Wired.com:

"Google integrates Plus into its web-dominating search engine. With Google+ Direct Connect, searchers can insert a '+' before their query and jump directly to a business's Google+ page. Type '+YouTube' into a Google search box, for instance, and Google will take you straight to YouTube's Plus page."

Read the... Full Article [wired.com]

.............................

[aristotle]

I've never checked out Google+, or even seen one of its pages, but from reading this thread, it sounds like it could be a spammer's paradise.

[Reno]

OK, so I just clicked the link in the Wired article to sign up for Google+ for business. If you are using ANY other Google products, then everyone else who has already signed up for Google+ will know who you are. Is that bad? Let's put it like this, maybe you don't WANT these other friends, family, and associates to know what websites you own. Suppose one of those sites is critical of the gov and you wish to remain anonymous? Well, forget it ~ as you go through the sign up process, you will see the photos of these other people who know you and you are prompted to join their "circles". You are not forced to join, but let's remember who we are dealing with here ~ the day may come when Google will link you to these folks whether you want it or not. In the past they've shown little or no regard for personal privacy, so you're on thin ice with them is you want to keep your private life private.

Now that I've signed up, I will have to figure out how to bail.

.....................

[edited by: Reno at 8:16 pm (utc) on Nov 8, 2011]