If you are a freelance writer and you want to have more private clients, Google+ is the network that you should be using. Yes, I still love Facebook and Twitter, but Google+ has some features that will make it a valuable investment of your time!
I have been enjoying Google+ since it first came out but lately I have been seeing the value of it even more. The big change? Search Plus Your World (which I am too lazy to write out every time I mention it so I’ll likely just call it Search+ from now on!)
What is Search+?
Search+ is Google’s way of letting you search within your networks when you are looking for information. When you go to google.com (I don’t see it available at google.ca yet but if you scroll to the bottom of the screen when you are on the .ca or other country you will find a link that says “go to googl.com” and then you will be able to use this feature) and do a search for anything you will still get the results that you would normally see but you will also see results from people that are in your network, talking about the subject you are searching for.
For example, if I do a search for blogging I get this:
click the picture to see a bigger version!
Now, if you click on the picture to see a bigger version you will notice that some of the results have a little person figure beside them – those are posts from people that are in my Google+ network.
Why would I want to see those in my search results?
Well, if you have them circled in Google+ it is obviously because you are interested in connecting with them or the share information that is valuable to them or you already trust their information. So doesn’t it make sense that you would value the information that they put out there more than information from random sites?
Now, let’s pretend that you are an internet marketer, a web site owner, a blogger or someone else that does business online or wants to increase their business by building an online presence. You are starting a blog or you want to do some article marketing or you need to do a press release but you don’t have time (or skill) to write it yourself. You need to find a freelance writer. So you do a search on Google and you hit the little Search+ symbol so that you can get results in your network (because you trust their recommendations more). Are you going to show up in their trusted network’s results?
Not if you aren’t on Google+ – so get on there!
Now, to illustrate, let’s see what kind of results I get when I search for freelance writer:
Recognize any of those faces? I do! They are all people that are in my social network on Google+! How cool is that?
And if I scroll down the page just a little bit I see this:
Yup – that is me!
So, if people in your network do a search for freelance writers or something along those lines, are they going to find you? They won’t if you don’t get your butt over to Google+ and start using it.
If we aren’t already connect, circle me on Google+. I’ll likely circle you back but just to be sure say hi by putting a + sign in front of my name when you make a post.
Since I think Google+ is so important for networking, I’m going to be writing some more about it soon. If you have any particular topics you’d like to see addressed please leave me a comment! And don’t forget to share this post on Twitter, Facebook, and of course, on Google+!
Oh I already have you in my circle!
I did a search for a certain topic recently and I got people from within my circles with the keywords and top of the search. This is actually amazing. The things we are looking for are right there in front of us, we need to circle them!
Hajra recently published this rocking post..Will they call you over for a bloggers party?
I did not have you in the circle. i will search you to add, By the way what is your name in the Google+. Well for sure a lot of freelancers benefited here!
Tracyann0312 recently published this rocking post..CZ 858
Very nice tips
as a blogger, now its so easy to find co-bloggers using this tips. Thanks Danielle.
Saikrishna recently published this rocking post..Search Engine Traffic: You Need It To Build A Profitable Blog
I am looking forward to have you at my circle. I am very impress with the information you’ve shared about Google+ and its advantages in Google search. Now I will be more connected in using this kind of social media to have more chances of future clients to see and search on me. Thanks for sharing again.
Google+ is turning into a great way to share your content through another medium. I write quite a few guest posts and use google+ to spread the word!
Its also needed for the new search+ function, which could give you instant rankings for people you’ve connected with.
Have you gotten google author attribution outside of Search Plus Your World? I know that having a Google+ profile is necessary for that, but I cant seem to get it to work.
Not sure what you mean by Google author attribution Pete – can you explain?
I have avoided jumping on board of the g+ train because it is all so overwhelming, where do you draw the line and how do you find the time to keep up with all the social networks…whew! What is the biggest advantage to g+ and would one need to drop the twitter and facebook side of things? Thanks for any help.
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You don’t have to drop your Twitter and Facebook marketing but, like I said, with Google+ you will get found by people who are using Search+ – and to me that is a huge advantage!
I was having a similar question like your in my mind, how many Social networks do we have to manage, and because by chance most of my friends are not on G+ i have moved on to Fcaebook. But the answer to your question by Danielle make a thing clear G+ can help a lot in the case of Internet marketing and finding new friends .
johnavery recently published this rocking post..Auto Auction
hey Danielle
Usually I do not learn article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, very nice article.
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I am concerned about investing time in it when only 5 people I know are using it, compare that to a few hundred on Facebook and 5500 on Twitter.
Matt Kinsella recently published this rocking post..Think Like a Dog and be Happy
This is indeed a new great plus for the bloggers and users of google+ its a new thing but taking room root very fast and it would only be wise to embrace it!
paul recently published this rocking post..Hobo WREN
I’m not a freelancer but I’m very into Google+. Though people in my circles are not many as my Facebook friends and fans, Google+ is indeed a new door for marketing your business and also to meet people who share with common interests as yours.
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I have only recently started using google+ and at the moment I am struggling with it. Out of all my facebook friends for example only 5 are using google+. Maybe I am missing something
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And that is exactly WHY you should be using it – to make NEW connections. Why would you want to use a new group if it just has all the same people there?
I really wanted to be sold on Google+, but it just hasn’t happened. It’s looking increasingly like the site has peeked, whilst still not moving anything like the quantity of traffic that Facebook or Twitter does. I’d probably only consider investing significant time n G+ if I had already maxed out my investment in more popular social media.
Google plus is getting pretty huge. I would like to jump on the band wagon here and see where it takes me. Thanks for the informative post!
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I really suggested to be promoted on Google+, but it just has not took place. It’s looking considerably like the web page has peeked, while still not going anything like the amazing of guests that Facebook or MySpace or fb or fb or fb or Twitter posts articles does. I’d probably only consider a bit of your power and power and attempt n G+ if I had already maxed my affordable economical investment in more well-known team marketing. Thanks
Danielle,
Nice post. One thing about being found on G+, you have to optimize your profile so that you show up when people are looking for what you provide. I have been using it since I got an early invite in the beginning. While I do freelance on occasion, I have not set up my G+ site as a referral source yet. One more thing to do, I suppose.
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