Googleplus is becoming more and more prominent among the social media giants. What many people don’t realize however is that Google+ is so much more than just a social media website. It integrates several features that are fully designed to benefit both you and your business, and with over 540 million people currently using Google+, it now trails Facebook as the second-largest social networking site. If you have never used Google+ before, then you certainly need to start.
#1. Headshot Profile Pictures
If you want to succeed on Googleplus, try not to have anything other than a headshot as your profile picture. Many people choose to upload family photos, a picture of the dog or even a cartoon image, but this is not your best option when it comes to Googleplus. You also need to remember that Googleplus crops your photo into a circular shape, so keep this in mind when choosing your display picture.
#2. Cover Photos
The cover photo to your Googleplus account is just as important as your profile picture. If you are having a cover photo, make sure that you include a keyword as the file name as this will help your
#3. Custom URL
A Googleplus vanity URL is short and easy to remember. Your standard Googleplus URL will include several characters and numbers. By changing this to your name, or your company name, you will appeal more to your viewers.
#4. Adding People to Your Circles
If you want people to find you on Googleplus, make sure you add them to your circles. Your follower number is public; however you’re following number is private. This is certainly something to remember when building your online presence. Also remember that the more connections you have, the more trustworthy you appear to your viewers.
#5. Be Accessible
If you are using Googleplus as a marketing tool and not for personal use then you need to make yourself accessible. To do this, go to your profile, click settings and turn on the visibility and sharing options. This will display your profile on Google when relevant terms are searched.
#6. Complete Your Story
The “story” section of your profile is a great opportunity that you should use to your full advantage. Here is your chance to add keywords, links and other information about you or your company. Google indexes this content, so make sure everything is filled out to the highest extent.
Google indexes other shared Googleplus content very quickly. It is also said that all new URLS shared on Googleplus are crawled right away. For this reason, you should always share your new content on Googleplus, whether it is a post, page, product or article, because Google will index it faster.
#8. Fill in your Contributor Information
Make sure you fill out, in depth, all the websites you have contributed to. This shows that you are active in helping others, and it will go a long way when it comes to your following and connections.
#9. Activity Is Key
One of the best ways to get lots of connections on Googleplus is to show that you are active. Add photos, YouTube videos, create reviews, and +1 other people’s posts. Doing this consistently will really build your credibility, not to mention that it will also encourage other people to share your own content.
#10. Get Yourself Noticed
Anyone who is logged into Googleplus has a notification centre. You can show up in other people’s notification centre by simply mentioning them in posts, sharing a post with them directly, or even commenting on a post. This is a great way to get exposure, and it also encourages them to share your posts in return.
Whether you are using Googleplus as a business page or simply as a personal page, getting connections is vital if you want to increase your online presence. By taking these top tips into account, you can be sure to rocket your social media presence as well as getting the connections you need to build your viewers’ confidence in you.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Connect with Tweak Your Biz:
Connect with Tweak Your Biz: 
Would you like to write for Tweak Your Biz?
Tweak Your Biz is an international, business advice community and online publication. Today it is read by over 140,000 business people each month (unique visitors, Google Analytics, December, 2013). See our review of 2013 for more information.
An outstanding title can increase tweets, Facebook Likes, and visitor traffic by 50% or more. Generate great titles for your articles and blog posts with the Tweak Your Biz Title Generator.
