While Facebook and Twitter have dominated the social space for long, Pinterest and Google+ still have managed to gain attention from social media users. The user base on both these platforms continue to grow. Inside Network’s AppData results revealed that Pinterest surpassed 10 million unique visitors in just 9 months; a figure any standalone site in U.S hasn’t been able to achieve before.
Google+ also continues to grow by leaps and bounds, especially after Google integrated the network with Google properties such as Google Search, making it an important resource for search engine optimization.
However, there’s a difference between the user base on Pinterest and those who use Google+; Pinterest is dominated by women. ComScore’s report in 2012 revealed 80 percent of the users on the platform were females. The brands pinned and repined are mostly female-oriented. Repinly, a website that tracks Pinterest activity, informs that top 10 pinners on Pinterest are women.
So with all the female attention going towards Pinterest, there is hardly any thought given to Google+. The platform, therefore, remains untapped for women.
Talking from personal experience, I’ve been active on Google+ and Pinterest since 2012. Although I managed to get a following on Pinterest, what Google+ has given me is unbelievable, and I tip it as a gold mine for the ladies.
Here are top 5 reasons why women shouldn’t let Google+ go unnoticed:
- 1. Referral Traffic
I’ve advertised on Facebook for a while now, and unless I pay to promote a post within my own community, it’s hardly sending any referral traffic to my website. Twitter has also disappointed, although I do believe it requires more effort than I am putting in at the moment. Pinterest has sent me traffic whenever my pin gets repined by a follower; not an impressive figure.
Google+, on the other hand, has impressed me in terms of referral traffic. I’ve shared some posts on smartphone apps in the communities present over there, and it has sent me a large number of visitors. It’s also tops the traffic referral list on my website, a spot usually dominated by search engine traffic.
- 2. Interaction
Users of Google+ do interact with you. They’ll notice what you’re doing, and you don’t have to pay Google to promote your posts, and what you share won’t get lost in a stream that’s dominated by posts from popular figures like female celebrities and sportswomen.
I’ve managed to grab a lot of attention on Google+ within a short span of time. Not a single day has passed till now when the post I shared went unnoticed. Someone always leaves a comment or a +1 on the shared content.
- 3. It’s good for search engine optimization
Women who’re into online marketing, social media, blogging or any other venture may not be aware that Google+ offers benefits when it comes to search engine optimization. Since Google linked the platform with Google Search, it can be used as a devised marketing tool for organic search. Google + profile picture also appears in the search snippet, and search engine readers eventually start recognizing the face.
Furthermore, the posts you’ll share on Google+ will appear to those who’ve added you in their circles, provided if it’s relevant to query or interest they’re searching for. This means if you can manage to build a huge following on the platform, there would be a lot of search engine juice passed to your website. Those top 10 female pinners on Pinterest with 5 million followers can do much more if they were on Google+ with the same number of followers.
- 4. People are really knowledgeable
Google+ is going to teach you a lot. The user base consists of people who are knowledgeable. They’ll catch you instantly if you’re out there just with the sole intention of selling something or presenting something to them which is a scam.
When you’re promoting your brand the right way on Google+, you’ll be tested; asked questions, compared to other brands etc., but the users also appreciate your efforts. Once you get to know them, they’ll engage with you, share your brand, recommend your shared posts on Google+ to their own circles and help you out.
- 5. Conversions
Google+ is still untapped, especially by females. However, they’re slowly starting to recognize the potential and the user base consisting of women is growing. The conversions from Google+ for my website have been higher than any other platform.
There are some great communities in Google+ that can be used to target people based on interest, and new communities consisting of female oriented brands are also being introduced. It’s a converting bandwagon to jump on to at the right time.
There’s a looming opportunity to embrace Google+ and increase visibility before the competition increases. Do you consider Google+ as a gold mine? Feel free to leave your thoughts.
Author Bio
Mellisa Burke is the marketing and content manager of International Reviews. She likes to explore the world of social media and thinks it’s better than watching movies. You can connect with her on Google+.