Google+ has finally rolled out their official brand pages, bringing their focus from purely consumer-based to include brands and companies as well. What makes a good brand page, though? Is this the right step to take? Here are some quick tips that should help you and your brand navigate this new social frontier and the many opportunities it presents.

Why Google+ is great for brands

Make the right connections – People use Facebook to connect with their friends and family but have turned to Google+ to meet and connect with others who share their interests.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Google+ brand pages will act as an aggregator of all of the +1’s accrued by each of your sites across the web. As +1’s begin to positively influence Google’s search algorithm, this will mean great things for your brand’s visibility.

Streamlined sharing – By grouping consumers into different circles, brands are able to target specific audiences with each post, making sure the right content gets to the right people. The absence of Facebook’s Edgerank system guarantees that the content brands publish will be seen by their audiences.

What to consider before joining

Content-driven campaigns – Google+ has banned contests hosted on the platform putting a highlight instead on the content. In order to gain a following and succeed on Google+, brands must focus on producing engaging content.

Less established network – While Google+ may have over 40 million users, Facebook still reigns supreme with 800 million users and higher rates of engagement than any other social networking site.

How to set up a brand page

Setup is incredibly easy – all you need to do is access the site through an existing Google+ account (click here if you have not done that yet). After entering the basic information and uploading your profile photo and top five images, you’re ready to start posting!

Brand page features

Direct connect – Search for Google+ pages using the regular search function. By entering “+” and then the page’s name, users can access pages through the traditional search field. This will help increase visibility for brands and ease of discovery for users.

1 control – By adding the +1 button to pages, Google has put control over the sharing link in the hands of the brand, making it more accurately reflect their actions in the social sphere.

Hangouts, photo and video sharing – With similar functionality to a normal Google profile, pages will allow for brands to continue staying in close contact with their followers by streamlining communication and fostering more personal relationships with consumers.

Early brand adopters

Still interested in trying it out? Check out some examples of early adopters.