Since 2011, when I first started using Google+, I have been asked hundreds of times, by my close friends in the social media arena, to tell them the advantages of using Google+.
Granted, there has been a large number of changes to the G+ platform since 2011. Some good, some very good and a number of very bad changes.
So to catch you up, again, here are the advantages of Google+.
Immediate Gratification
It is obvious for Google+ users to understand the benefits or advantages Google+ offers them. So for them, this is just a review.
However, for those who need to be here and are not, let me see if I can shed some light on the advantages G+ has over the others.
It will be near impossible to highlight the benefits Google+ offers without comparing it to the other more popular spaces, Facebook and Twitter.
So, for those of you who have passed the 140 character limit and are ready to go elsewhere..the bottomline will be… the main advantage of Google is in the Time Saved. The immediate gratification so many people require is in the content posted on G+ being found immediately on Google Search.
Yes, the time spent on Google+ is more immediately rewarding socially and professional because of the advantage Google has over the other social spaces.
Advantage: Authority Building
Sure, Google+ is less cluttered than Facebook, facilitates better conversations and interaction than Twitter. Google+ even manages your network of people better than LinkedIn. Those alone are good reasons for using it, but even that misses the big point.
The big reason everyone, especially business owners, should be to using Google+ is due to it helps build your authority.
Disadvantages
Naturally, everyone wants me to unload on Facebook and how lame it is as a placeholder for social relevant content. I could do that, but that would be just rallying up the Koolaid drinkers to close down even further to realizing the advantages Google+ would offer them if they spend the time needed on Google+ to realize Google+’s awesomeness.
Then there are LinkedIn’ers who grind it out on LinkedIn in hopes of the sharing of unoriginal content will generate sales lead. I could go on with the disadvantages of LinkedIn but again all that would do is get the B2B social mediaist up in arms which shuts them down to seeing the advantages Google+ would offer them.
I’m not ignoring those who requested me to enlighten people on the delusions of what Pinterest, Instagram and new kid on the block, ShapChat are doing that Google+ does even better because that is pretty self evident if those users where to use G+ more.
Wrong Way to Look At It
It is also expect those users who just do not want to spend anytime on Google+ are going to make statements like..“It is better to be on all platforms”, or “Google+ just does not have the number of users I need to accomplish what I need.” I have found these statements usually are covering up larger reasons that are based on Google+ being a threat to the investment they have made in the other spaces.
My responses to these remarks have always been to highlight the fact times have changed in social media. Being everywhere is not effective to capturing everyone’s attention. It is being proved everyday it now is better to be found than it is to force yourself onto others.
Quality Content Produces an Advantage
I have never found where it is written you have to have a specific number of followers to be productive or where it says a social network has to have a specific number of users for the space to be deemed worthy.
My existence on Google+ has by no means produced the huge followings many others have produced, but I can safely say my followers on G+ have by far been the most productive group of followers I have had in all of the social spaces I have been on.
To me..and should be to everyone..that is a major advantage to being on Google+
But enough of all the rational thoughts. The advantages of Google+ are many and speak for themselves once they are used.
The advantages to spending time on Google+ are simple to understand. The more time spent the more chances Google is going to reward you being found.
Be Found
You probably know already that if you and I Google the same thing keywords we will see different results. Google does this based on a number of factors. Now, thanks to Google+, what is being searched can also be based on what our friends and their friends are talking about for those keywords.
Google search content can be based on who our friends are. This is important, because in general being on Google+ will give you, or your business, more relevant search results.
The primary advantage is, Google+ is the place Google searches first for relevant content to offer up in the search. If you don’t believe it check to see how many G+ posts come up in a search on a popular subject. If there are none, then the subject of search is probably not being talked about on Google+ making that a prime subject for you to talk about on Google+.
More Features than Others
Another advantage to Google+ over the other social spaces is its depth of very useful features.
Video Chats, live streaming HangOuts, Events, Communities, Local Pages, Business Pages, Photos..and that is just what is on the G+ Dashboard, more can be added. A person or business could spend a couple of weeks on Google+ using these tools to develop content to be found on the Google Search. It would takes months..if ever..to accomplish that on the other spaces.
Multiple Access
A huge advantages of Google+ is it being accessible from all of the Google Products making it an even greater time saver. A person can go from their Gmail to G+, from their G+ to YouTube, to their Google Drive, back to their Gmail and then to their G+ Business Page and never have to login again.
Best Time Spent
Time…what a valuable commodity. There is nobody who has an infinite amount of it. So why are people wasting it in places that have lesser of a return for their time spent? That has been a question many of the people who are not using Google+ cannot comfortable..or logically..explain.
Target Audiences
Many people, and businesses are forced to use other social spaces because they live on what unvalidated reports offer them as being the place they should be to be seen.
They feel they are hitting their targeted audience by being on other social spaces. Most will find out quickly that by the time they have set up shop on that space their target market has moved.
Others people who are attempting to draw attention to themselves simply like bright shinny new things and move frequently to where it seems they are accomplishing something because being in a new space appears to make them popular.
Social Search is Here
It is good to be around friends and people you know and granted there are many people who do things without any thought to what it is they do..they just do it because someone influential to them told them to.
Nothing wrong with that if you choose to be that way. However, there will come a time when even those people will step back and say..where did all my time go?
What many people are missing is Google+ can do all of what everyone needs. It all comes from spending the time need on Google+.
Hope this touched on the advantages of Google+..if not..let me know how I can help.
