Google+ Launches Business Pages Today

The day that marketers everywhere have been anticipating has come. Google Plus has finally rolled out their business page feature today. Over the next few days, Google Plus is allowing businesses to Create a Page on their platform. When I read about this, I instantly tried to create a company page for Progressive Media Concepts, but I unfortunately got this message in reply:

Google+ Pages isn’t ready for everyone

Thanks for your interest in Google+ Pages, but we haven’t finished releasing them to everyone. Please check back soon.

I will be trying over the next few days, but until then, let’s look at what you can expect from a business page on Google+.

Once you gain access to the Create a Page function, you will be given 5 options to categorize your company page with:

Local Business or Place
Product or Brand
Company, Institution or Organization
Arts, Entertainment or Sports
Other
After you select the category for your company page, fill out the form which will ask for your visibility preferences and what you would like to name your page. Unlike Facebook, Google+ allows you to change your page name whenever you deem necessary, although vanity URLs are not available.

Currently, you must create a Google+ company page through a personal account. Whoever creates the company page is the only person who will have access to manage it. As for now, Google+ only supports one administrator of pages, but multiple administration should be coming out in the future. Choose the manager of your company page wisely. We suggest giving the responsibility to a social media or marketing manager.

Just like Facebook, you can act and post as your business page to other user’s walls. Google Plus business pages have the ability to share photos, articles, videos and create hangouts, but each post must be made manually. Dissimilar from Facebook and Twitter, there is no third-party support for scheduling and managing Google+ posts.

In order for your Google+ business page to be followed by a consumer, it must be added to one of their circles. Clicking the +1 button will not allow someone to follow your brand on the platform.

Check out Save the Children’s Google+ page. Under their profile image, you will notice how many people have +1’d their page, along with the option to share it. The number of +1s a business receives is supposed to represent how many people have clicked +1 for their company somewhere on Google+. The only way for the page to be followed is by clicking the Add to Circles button in the top right corner.

The video below depicts the Direct Connect feature that owning a Google+ page offers. Watch it to see how typing in the plus sign followed by a brand name will take you directly to their Google+ page.I have posted a few links to some of the company pages that were the first to launch. Start browsing the ones that were able to start ahead of the game, and let us know what you think about them and company pages in general.