Say Good-bye to Google Plus

A mere seven years ago Google introduced its own social networking site, Google+. Just this week, Google announced they will be retiring their social media platform, which isn’t a shock to most. Over the years, Google has spent a lot of time and resources into making Google+ a valuable platform for users, with no real advancement. But the social platform data breach earlier this year seemed to be the final straw and Google decided to throw in the towel. Google also recognized that “the consumer version of Google+ currently has low usage and engagement”, making it a slightly obvious decision to close the doors on Google+.

What does this mean for you?

If you have a Google+ page, there is no immediate action required. Google announced that over the next ten months they will implement the shutdown, with a completion deadline set for next August. Over the next few months, Google will provide users with additional information, including ways to download and transfer data.

If your page was inactive it already may have been removed. Earlier this year, prior to this announcement, Google had already started removing inactive Google+ pages, sending out email notifications of this action. If you were an active user, then your page was not affected at that time.

While there is no immediate action to take right now be sure to check your website, email signatures, and other forms of communication for links to your Google+ page, as you will eventually want to remove those links.

Google My Business is still valuable

With the shutdown of Google+, this doesn’t mean that Google My Business has lost its value. In fact, now more than ever, Google My Business is an important aspect to your local business, particularly when it comes to online reviews.

Recently RezStream marketing team attended the Direct Booking Summit in Dallas and learned that in 2017, reviews in general, had increased by 27.2%, with Google generating most of the reviews, seeing the largest increase of 113%. Where TripAdvisor reviews actually dropped 17.2%. So, if you aren’t taking the time to manage your Google My Business reviews, you should. This is one of your most valuable tools in building up your online reputation and overall brand’s standing.

To help you capture and monitor your Google reviews, use this Google Review Link Generator. This tool allows you to generate current and valuable “Review Us” links that will provide the best available options for Google review call-to-action links.

Related topic: How to Optimize Google My Business Listing

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