Google+ Login Rate on the Rise According to First Quarter Trends

                      Google+ Login Rate on the Rise According to First Quarter Trends





Remember when Google+ first launched? Maybe you don’t. For most people the launch temporarily reaffirmed that Facebook was still king of the mountain. With the exception of video chat, Google’s new social network failed to offer anything unique or enticing enough to lure people away from other networks. My, how times have changed.

 After a rocky debut, Google+ has officially surpassed Twitter to become the second most popular social network, but how does it stack up against Facebook? As of Q4 2012, Google+ boasted an impressive total of 343 million active users (a 27% increase from the previous year). Although Facebook maintains an impressive lead with their estimated 693 million active users, Google’s platform is quickly gaining ground.
 
Those are interesting numbers, but the future only looks brighter for Google. Social logins are quickly becoming an area of interest, and why shouldn’t they be? They tell you where the people are going! Take a look at the Q1 2013 results recently released by Social Login provider, Janrain:


    

As it stands now, Facebook currently accounts for 46% of all social logins, while Google’s share is hovering around 34%. Facebook had a 3% drop from Q4 2012, but guess where it went? That’s right. It went to Google+. This is the second consecutive quarter that Google’s social network has closed the gap on Facebook, and the inverse relationship is no coincidence. So how does a network that struggled so early on appear to be on the verge of exploding after less than 2 years? Because they’ve given us some incentive to sign up!





Seamless Integration
If there’s one area where Google has a distinct advantage, it’s the integration of Google+ into their other products: Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Chrome, Android devices and a host of other services that we use on a daily basis.

SEO Benefits
Sharing good content with your Google+ circles is a great way to increase engagement and boost your rankings in searches. Google dominates the search world, so by rewarding their loyal users, they’re actively encouraging others to join.

Hangouts
This is Google’s video chat alternative to Skype. It’s free, easy to use, and built right in.

Authorship Rank
Author rank links your Google+ profile to the original content on your website. Not only do you get a nice lift in rankings, but your picture will even show up next to your search results in Google. This increases click through rates and provides you with some additional credibility as an author.





The Google Reputation
The rapid growth of Google+ was no accident. As a company, Google has the foresight and the marketing muscle to make anything work. Skeptics were abundant when Android first launched its attack on the mighty iPhone, but look where they are today?

Whether you’re a day-to-day consumer or a business, there’s incentive for everyone to join Google Plus. Give it a try!

Two Words That Will Change the Way You Advertise

Two Words That Will Change the Way You Advertise

Not all advertising strategies are created equal, with some being more effective than others. A true understanding of your niche means a true understanding of what advertising methods work best and knowing precisely where to place your ads to get the most out of them. 

The truth is this: skilled marketers are more familiar with their target audience than they are with their neighbors. You won’t see a good marketer place a banner ad for pizza on a site that promotes weight loss, right? Not unless they like losing money!

Now what if I told you that one of the most effective forms of advertising is not only free, but can also have great SEO benefits? Think outside the box. I’m not talking about banner ads or expensive radio commercials, so put your wallet away for a second. 

What do you see on a daily basis? What do you see each time you log onto Facebook or Pinterest? What are the most shared items on the Internet? You may want to sit down for this because the answer has been right under your nose the entire time! Two magic words:

Memes / eCards!

Wow, really? Memes and eCards are EXTREMELY effective in creating backlinks to your site through a natural sharing process. They’re simple. They’re free. They’re fast. And they work. 

Let’s look at a few tips on how to bring it all together:

1)      Follow the familiar template of the meme or eCard.

2)      Include your site name if appropriate. Brand recognition is key! You can even include the URL or company logo.

3)      Keep your message classy. Some memes and eCards push the limits of political correctness. They can hurt your image just as easily as they can help it.

4)      Keep your message consistent. Make it about what you do as a company or how you can help the individual. Be creative and relevant.

5)      Put the pictures on your site and make them easy to share. That’s a big one!

6)      Create a humor board(s) on Pinterest or albums on other networks. Pin your images with your link and your description (more on good description etiquette in a later article).

7)      Name your picture appropriately so that it’s keyword searchable. Ex) Futurama-Fry-Monopolize-Social-Media.jpg

8)      Don’t forget about placing them on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Flicker, Instagram etc.

It’s that easy! Keep in mind that some websites don’t allow this type of use with their eCards unless first paying for a campaign, so make sure you read the terms and conditions. 

Making your own eCard is a good alternative since anyone can freely use a small colored rectangle with a picture and a caption. Below are some example memes we put together to give you a better idea. 

Don’t forget to share them!