Since Google+ debuted in 2011 – there have been lots of articles and opinions posted and published about whether this late-comer to the social media scene really works. The fact that Google+ has over a half of billion followers, once could say it is a success. Also, if you go by the presence of the world’s top brands – then the answer is that Google is indeed crushing it in the social media sphere. “The reality is that Google+ signifies the growing and intrinsic nature of search and social media; and, as adoption surges, so does the necessity of integrating and aligning search and social efforts. Google+ is going mainstream,” reports SearchEngineLand.
According to SearchEngineLand a majority of the top 100 brands (three quarters), have active profiles” and many of them have at least a million followers or more. That said, one might wonder what is the key to success on Google+? The rules for Google+ are nearly the same as for the other social networks – customer/fan/follower or employee engagement. The idea to keep your followers coming back by posting the following:
- Questions – let followers respond with their insights and opinions on popular subjects
- Allow followers to post pictures/video
- Add new postings each week to keep followers interested
- Hold contests/sweepstakes to entice more interest
The following brands are tops on Google+
H&M, 5.5 million followers: Fashion, music videos, photos and videos of hot girl and boy models, contests and lots of tween customer engagement has propelled H&M to one of the top Google+ brands.
Mercedes Benz, 4.7 million followers: Mercedes provides lots of cool shots of cars and videos as well as sporting events where Mercedes is a sponsor and/or their cars are being utilized in as part of a race. Just recently the upscale automobile company documented IRONMAN Europe – following the athletes with a running commentary, photos and videos.
Red Bull, 4.7 million followers: Red Bull is a social media darling and crushes it not only on Google+ but on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and others. Red Bull’s posting strategy on Google+ is similar to what they post on other social networks: lots of photos and videos of extreme sports and stunts. Red Bull also engages its followers with discussions threads about the latest sporting events and post plenty of athlete interviews.
Nissan, 4 million followers: Nissan may not be one that comes directly to mind on Google+ but the car company does a great job enticing followers with new and old car photos and videos. In addition, similar to what Mercedes does, Nissan showcases sporting events where the Nissan cars are being displayed or driven by famous athletes.
Coca Cola, 2 million followers: Once again, Coca Cola “crushes” it on another social network. The company, which is one of the top most recognizable brands on the planet, has a large presence on a number of social media platforms. On Google+ the soft drink company has a similar strategy as
Twitter and Facebook and posts such fare as Coca Cola-sponsored sporting events provides photography, video and interviews with top athletes and celebrities.
Converse, 1.7 million – Converse, now owned by Nike, has carved out its own icon status. Lots of Google+ posts of colorful photos and videos of Chuck Taylors. Follower engagement is encouraged here as most fans want to discuss on their favorite type of Converse shoes.
Samsung USA, 800,000 followers: Samsung prefers its Google+ community to be very brand focused and nearly all of the posts are of new products from cameras to laptops. Never-the-less its followers are active and some conversations streams take place on the popular consumer electronic postings.
Three Out Of Four Global Brands Have Active Google+ Profiles
Google+ has now established itself firmly in the mainstream of social networking. A majority of the top 100 brands (three quarters), have active profiles. As more brands engage users, data suggest that those who have once held reservations may soon be looking toward establishing a strong Google+ presence.
Many of the top global 100 brands recognize that Google+ is now an effective social medium through which to continuously build and strengthen relationships with existing and potential users and customers. It is an excellent avenue through which the value of their brand can be greatly enhanced. It is not only cost effective, but it also facilitates constant dialogue with users, which is essential in keeping their audience up-to-date on the latest happenings regarding their brands’ products, features and services.
20% of Brands Link Both Home & Google+ Pages
Search for a brand in 2013, and it’s increasingly likely a Google+ page will appear in the SERP. This is an area which has seen a significant increase in the past year, and is now at one in five brands. As brands continue to attract Google+ followers, these pages look set to become a mainstay of search results.
Marketers are also now actively integrating Google+ into their brand home page, with 25% including a profile link in 2012. Three of the top 10 brands promoted their Google+ presence through links to their profile pages on their websites. These brands are Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Samsung. Given that this was unheard of a year ago, we expect that 2013 will see many more brands follow suit.
59% of Brands with Active Google+ Pages Engage Their Users through Posts
Forty-four (44) of the 75 brands with active Google+ pages have provided their users with posts in the month of February 2013. Post dates for February range from 2/8/2013 to 2/16/2013.
This data set helps show that brands do recognize the importance of keeping their audience engaged and that Google+ is an increasingly preferred platform in fostering and developing such relationships with users.
The Top 10 Brands on Google+ Account For Almost 4 Out Of 5 Followers
A majority of the 20.9M followers are cornered by the top 10 brands making up 78% of the total fans (16.3M followers). The biggest player right now is H&M, which leads the way with 2.49M fans. This should come as no surprise — as we documented in previous Social Share reports, they have consistently engaged users.
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