The most compelling feature of Google+ is the Hangout. Read on to find out what the value is for using Google+ Hangouts as part of your marketing mix.
Key excerpt...
The value of these Hangouts can be proven by using the four categories of measurement that I have determined to define success:
- Content – Struggling for fresh content? Hangouts are awesome for providing content, and content that can be repurposed. The Hangout recording syncs to Youtube and can then be embedded back into Google+, a blog or even a landing page. Transcribing the hangout can make for a great blog post as well.
- Engagement – The Hangouts that we hosted earned thousands of social signals in the form of shares/ +1/ comments etc. Better yet, some of these were from influencers in our space, which leads to better visibility while increasing the relevance that these signals show around our content to Google.
- SEO – Everything that is shared on Google+ has the potential of showing up in Google search. The more people who are sharing and engaging with your posts and content, the better chance you have of ranking in search. This is especially relevant for personalized results, but there is also evidence that it affects search rankings in general.
- Thought Leadership – Hanging out with influential folks from your industry and interviewing them live on air is a fantastic way to build thought leadership. Not only are you providing a platform for external thought leaders, but you are also building up your own influence.
Hangouts are in no position to replace a webinar platform, but hosting one is a great way to experiment and have fun within what is essentially your own television studio for the web.
If for anything, bullet number three is very significant. You should consider Hangouts as a part of your content distribution agenda.