SEO can work in a variety of ways, however using Google Plus to enhance it further is a sure fire way to boost web traffic to your website.

What is Google+?

While Google+ isn’t the most popular social networking site, it’s still known to most regular internet users, especially when we consider the fact that over 500 million people use at least one Google product each month. It offers the ability to share news, updates or interesting media content from around the web with your ‘circles’, however it can also be a handy tool when used for SEO purposes to increase your rankings and page views.

Social media marketers have recently been taking full advantage of the SEO perks that come with Google Plus. What many people don’t realise, is that Google+ pages feature DoFollow links, which simply means that they pass link equity on to the website or page you decide to share. These links use PageRank, TrustRank and the context of the link to determine your ranking for specific keywords.

Read on to discover the steps you can take and the benefits you’ll experience by utilizing them.

How can I use Google+ to enhance my SEO?

You’ll firstly need to optimize your web page, Google+ profile and shared content to ensure maximum results. How? It’s simple, by performing a few updates throughout your page.

• Your SEO Title is how you present yourself as a service. It should be the name of your business or company. Don’t be tempted to try to fill your SEO title with keywords, as the title actually has little value when compared to the rest of the page.
• A Custom URL, which is a relatively new feature to Google+ can help create less cluttered, more memorable links when marketing your business. You can easily set up a URL by visiting your page and clicking ‘About’. Select the ‘Links’ box and click on your existing URL. Google+ will then prompt you to make the change if you so wish.
• Next, you’ll need to update your page’s SEO meta description. You’re allowed up to 160 characters, which include your personalised tagline and the first two sentences of your page’s introduction. It’s easy to edit the meta description by clicking ‘Manage this Page’, ‘Edit Page’ and then selecting the ‘Story’ section on the following page. Simply add the text you wish to feature in the description and press save.

Once optimized, you’ll be able to start posting the content you choose, which is still the quickest and most efficient way to build a fanbase on Google Plus.

When sharing content, it’s important to enhance it rather than simply sharing straight away.

• Add a summary, describing the content you’ve shared and why you feel it’s relevant to your followers. Keep it short and sweet, as viewers will be able to read it in more depth for themselves.
• Don’t include the link as part of the Summary. Place it in the ‘Link Attachment’ area to ensure it works similarly to a DoFollow link.
• When sharing, Google+ will offer you the chance to email the update to your circles. This is an excellent way to provoke your audience into interacting with your link, especially if it’s something you know they’ll be interested in.

After following the relevant tips and guidelines, you may wish to track your rankings and social engagement levels, allowing you to keep track of what works on your site and what turns people away.

Through examining the benefits of combining Google+ with your existing SEO, it’s clear that it can be a useful resource when increasing your reach to include web users who interact with Google products daily.

Have you used Google+ for SEO purposes? How did it work for you?