Google+ is opening up to business, thank heavens! I really struggled to use it effectively before – it was as if I was given the cocktail glass but no cocktail. Now, I have my cocktail glass and cocktail and it tastes great.

Firstly, why would a business want to have a page on Google+?

The answer to this question is quite simple.  Successful businesses need audiences, people they can talk to who are in the market for their products and services.  A few years ago, businesses spoke to these audiences in person, then by direct mail, then by telephone, SMS and then after the internet came along by email and banner ads.

When social media sites popped up businesses found that these portals offered them a brand new channel of engagement, they called it “viral”.  One customer talking to another potential customer about a product or service.  In the early days many companies built on this “viral” element to grow their companies from the ground up.  In fact, one social media platform in specific grew across the whole of Asia because one person in America with friends in Asia recommended it.

The problem with these social media portals is that they are quite sticky.  By sticky I mean that their users spend hours and hours on them and they don’t really like to leave them.  Almost like they are stuck to them – for some they appear to be addicted.

So, this means that when a message is spreading virally the whole viral bit could be killed off by first base if it means the user has to leave his or her beloved portal to find out further information.  The business therefore must have a presence that is easily accessible to the users of the portal in question if it wants to maximise on the viral bit.

So, how to create a business page on Google+?

To create a business page on Google+ follow the simple instructions below.  For more help you can watch my youtube video on how to create a a business page on Google+ here.

  1. Before you can create a page you must have an account on Google+, if you want help creating an account on Google+ then click on my blog post – how to create an account on Google+.
  2. Once, you have your own account on Google+ click on the following link – create your Google+ page.
  3. Select the type of page you wish to create from the options on the left of the page.  For the purposes of this example I will create a page for my “Product or Brand”.
  4. Type in your Page Name, a website that relates to your product or brand.
  5. Select a category for your page from the drop down box.
  6. If you want anyone to be able to view your page then select “Any Google+ user”.
  7. Agree to the terms and conditions.
  8. Hit “Create”
  9. Enter a tagline for your business page then hit “Change profile photo”
  10. Select a profile picture from your desktop for your profile page using the upload function.
  11. Hit “Continue”
  12. Crop the image using the crop tool provided if required
  13. Click “Set as profile photo” when happy with the pic.
  14. Hit “Continue” to proceed
  15. We will not share this page with anyone yet as we have not set up any circles, therefore click “Finish” to complete the process.
  16. Congratulations on creating your Google+ page.

In my next post I shall show you how to create Circles in Google+, add people to those circles and get Google+ working virally for your business.

Good luck

Digital Entrepreneur