When Google launched their social network, Google+, many experts thought that it would become a significant online marketing tool. It was clear to see that the search giant will try and populate the network by luring people and businesses with an opportunity to gain online exposure by creating profiles and posts there.
Now, almost a year since the new kid on the social networking block has launched, many businesses and individuals already utilising this tool report increases in traffic and visibility in Google search (http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/9972-how-does-google-impact-seo-performance).
It is therefore surprising to read that only 33% of UK companies have a business page on Google+ (data from Econsultancy / NetBooster UK "Search Engine Marketing Benchmark Report 2012").
What is more, 68% of companies surveyed do not realise the impact Google+ has on search marketing and are hence unaware of any potential benefits.
It is true that this social network is fairly new, but according to a recent announcement from Google it already boasts some 170 million users and that number carries on growing at a rapid pace. But the fact that it has many members may not be the main reason why you should waste no time in getting your company listed there.
There are many other factors, which you should keep in mind. For example your Google+ page and posts could appear very high in general search and that Google Places platform has now been fully integrated into this social network. It means that you will miss out on some vital exposure the longer you have no presence there.
Having a branded page on Google+ may require some of your time as ideally you do not want the profile to be dormant, but maintaining should be no different to a Facebook or Twitter account.
Any e-commerce business relies on people to be able to find it online and Google+ offers another way in which you can make your company more visible on the web. Chances are that most of your major competitors are already there, which means that you joining in is simply not optional any more but almost a necessity.