Last week, Google announced (to MUCH fanfare online, but little fanfare offline) that they will be using more social search in their search engine ratings. What this means is you will see, if your friends and/or you are using Google+ (or other Google products) and you are using Google to search that you’ll see more personalized results from people in your network. Google calls it “Search Plus Your World” and it’s pretty interesting.
Rather than bore you with all the details, here’s a 70 second video from Google explaining the change a bit more.
Can’t see the video above? Click here to watch Google Search Plus Your World on YouTube
While Twitter and Google have gone back and forth on this (Twitter saying this is bad, and Google saying it’s all Twitter’s fault, read about it here), Jon Mitchell over at Read Write Web has written the best explanation of how Google is doing what it’s doing – and how you might incorporate it into your website too.
My thoughts on this are simple: Google is the biggest site for search. If you want to rank well on their site, you need to leverage their tools in the right way to boost your rankings. I’m not passing judgement – just sharing a statement of what I believe to be true.
How can you leverage Google’s tools in the right way?
Get a Google profile – You need to start by showing people how YOU want to be found. As a small business owner, stand up and be counted. Set up a complete profile at http://profiles.google.com
Put your business on the (Google) map – Add your business to Google Places listing sooner than later. Add as much information as you know. Don’t worry – you can edit it later.
Upload some photos of your business and your neighborhood on Picasa – Small businesses are seldom are so private you don’t want to share pictures of your building and your neighborhood. Take a few snaps with your smart phone or digital camera, and upload them to Picasa.
Read more about the changes in Google’s own words at Search, plus Your World.
YOUR TURN: Are you doing anything differently because of these changes? If so, what is YOUR best way to take advantage of Google’s recent changes? What help do you need to take best advantage of these changes?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Phil. A comment unrelated to your blog post, but I thought you might want to know.
The email & social links on your home page aren’t working.
Thanks Paul. I’ll get that fixed soon. Thanks for letting me know.
They certainly have my attention now Phil and I’ll be spending more time there than I have been. It’s certainly something we can’t ignore.
I completely agree AnneMarie. Ignoring Google is a bad idea.
You have to hand it to Google, they know how to market… I like their search engine the best, will I like their new social search? hmmm not sure, time will tell. (I still think they are trying to take over the world).
Of course they are Knikkolette – why do anything else?
Great post and video Phil, my first read from you. Thank knikkolette for bringing my here from her FB page. BTW Knikkolette I am pretty sure they are trying to take over the world also. :]
Welcome Ross – glad you are here. Look around and see what you find. Let me know if I can help you any.