Businesses often use Google+ to connect with target audience members but forget it’s also a useful tool to gain prominence among peers in the marketplace. As this is an invaluable aspect of Google+, keep reading to get some actionable strategies for reaching out to other businesses in an effort to benefit your own.
Use Google Circles to Create Personas
Once your Google+ account is set up, use the Circles feature to your advantage and tailor content to specific groups. Create one for vendors, another for advertisers, and so on. It only takes a few seconds to make designated circles. By using them to make personas of businesses you’d like to attract, it could mean the content you create for each one will be more relevant and favorably-received.
Know What Resonates With Visitors
The type of product or service you provide will greatly shape your marketing techniques. That’s true in any realm, and social media is guided by many of the same principles as more traditional types of media.
CJ Pony Parts is a retailer of parts for Mustang cars. Representatives there have clearly realized car enthusiasts are more likely to become inspired by seeing pictures than reading blocks of text.
Wisely, the company’s Google+ profile is filled with auto industry graphics and news, so it’s a great outreach opportunity that appeals to current and future consumers, as well as vendors and other companies that also focus on the automotive industry. One of the primary goals of using Google+ for B2B purposes is to demonstrate authority. CJ Pony Parts does that exceptionally well, and they have hundreds of followers as proof.
Schedule Sessions Through Google Hangouts
If you’re in the midst of nurturing some new leads, use the Google Hangouts feature to connect to those individuals or companies in an instantaneous way. It’s integrated into Google+ and is free to use.
In addition to using it to grow your leads list, it can also be helpful if your company is teaming up with other local businesses to jointly participate in community events like trade shows or conferences. With this, you can just set a time for all parties to meet through Google Hangouts and avoid coordinating telephone calls.
Interact, Don’t Just Promote
Businesses who try to reach other companies through Google+ often make the common mistake of solely using their pages for promotional purposes. That tends to alienate consumers, and fellow business owners are no different. Spend time every day reading what people in your circles have posted and giving standout content a “+1.” If businesses reciprocate by giving nods of approval to the things you post, that could mean your company ranks higher in search engines.
Also, when publishing things on Google+, add some open-ended questions that encourage conversation. Ideally, tie the topics of conversation into subject areas you’ve recently covered elsewhere, such as your company blog, and urge people to go check out your website or similar social media channels to learn more. Doing so shows you’re eager to foster interactions, and it could boost your website traffic numbers.
Google+ is an important part of a well-rounded B2B social media strategy. Even if you’re new to using the site, spending time getting acquainted with it could really pay off. Start making progress by using the simple, effective suggestions you’ve just read.
