I can see the benefits of being on Google+- improved Google rankings and a place on Google Local +.  However, I found it hard to see how to grow the following on my page and without a following I can’t become part of Local+.

Local+ is the new Google ranking system.  So I decided to set up a local group (in real life) where businesses can all link to each other and rank and rate each other and support each other’s efforts.  We all joined the new community called Natterjacks to share what we are doing.

The lovely Valorie made us a U+ cake to welcome us to the brilliant Natterjacks- Night Time Cafe, Art Gallery and Music Venue.

I figured offline was a good way to start.  In the process I discovered a Google+ strategy to grow your page following.  Unlike circles, you can’t add people on to your page, you have to wait to be followed.  You can of course follow others, but you can’t contact others much like the old Facebook ‘fan’ pages.

Here are the steps to growing your Google+ Page:

1.  Navigate to your business page.  I only have 16 followers on mine and want to concentrate on growing it.  I have a lot of people in my circles, but this doesn’t count in terms of getting on to Google Local+.

2.  Create a community on your business page.  Here I have created one for WordPress stuff because I am running WordPress courses.   We also set one up for Natterjacks and we all joined the group.   If you are an Ulverston business,  or if you want to learn with us, please feel free to join us here.  

s

3.  Next go back over to your personal profile and add people to your circles.  You can do this by adding people who have recently added you (you can see the people in our new U+ offline group who have just added me to circles) or via gmail or by searching for friends.

Next invite the people who are in your circles to join your new community.

From here you can get them to follow your page.

Next week we will have my favourite G+ expert Keith McMean joining us for some more in-depth Google+ ideas and tips.

PS  I have already had Ben Barden, one of my G+ friends, thanking me for inviting him and sending me his latest WordPress article.  This is why I love social media!