You must have heard about Google’s new search result recommendation service called Google +1? This has revolutionized the field of social SEO and has started giving a tough competition to Facebook’s “like” option.
What is Google +1?
When you log into your Google account and search for something on Google, you will note that
the search results appear with a +1 button beside respective links. Clicking on the +1 button, you can recommend the website to your Google contacts.
These recommendations will appear to your friends when they search on the same keyword. For example, if you searched for iPod and recommended an ecommerce website, when your friends search for the same gadget with the same keyword, they will see that you have recommended a particular site for it.
However, to make the +1 recommendation visible, you have to change the settings in your Google account’s +1 tab and make it “public” from “private”.
A website admin can add the Google +1 button in his website very easily. The process is similar to adding a Facebook “like” button or Twitter “tweet” button. When a visitor comes to a site and likes it, he can click on the social media button to recommend it to his friends and social circle.
The process of “like” and “Google +1” may look the same, but the +1 has a lot more effect on search engine optimization and page ranking.
How it Works?
When you click on the +1 button, the link gets shared with your social circle. This social circle consists of all the contacts in Google Talk, Gmail, Buzz, Contacts, Google Plus, etc. The recommendation appears to both the person who has recommended the link and to friends in his social circle.
For example, if Bob, Bill and Dan are three friends and Bob recommends a link, Bill and Dan will see that their friend Bob has recommended it. Now, if Bill also recommends the same link, then Bob will see “you and Bill have recommended this site.”
How it Helps in Online Marketing?
The Google +1 is a boon to SEO companies. Online marketing has completely changed with the introduction of Google +1 button. The click-through rate, or CTR, will see a boost for those that have higher number of Google +1 recommendations.
Normally, popular sites will be recommended by thousands all over the world and help them to secure top ranking. But Google +1 is also beneficial for small companies. If you are looking for “SEO services in India” and see that the search result shows a recommendation for a particular company, you will be more interested in it, even if they don’t appear in the top 10 search results. We are always more comfortable to work with a company when our friends recommend them.
How Google +1 Will Affect SEO?
If a link is being +1’d by a large group of friends, Google will increase its page rank. Compared to false account SEO activities, a genuine recommendation helps Google to understand the value of that website. If your friend recommends a particular site, you will probably spend a lot more time there than on other sites. Google measures the success and failure of a site by its bounce rate. Bounce rate calculates how long a user stays on a website. It will help Google’s algorithm and page ranking system.
Can it be Manipulated by Black-hat SEO?
If you think that anyone can randomly click on the +1 button to increase a website’s search ranking, then you are mistaken! Google is no fool; they can mark a spam +1 recommendation very easily. If you use your Google account regularly and use services such as Gmail, GTalk, and Google Plus, etc, your recommendations will be considered as genuine. But if you use a fake account and only +1 hundreds of links everyday, Google will soon realize your intention.
Why it’s Here to Stay?
What is the advantage of Google +1, when there is already Facebook “like”?
When you “like” a site on Facebook, your friends can only see that recommendation for a few days. Later, they will forget about it. But when you +1’d a link, it stays for a very long time. Even if your friends search on the same keyword after several months, they will see that you have recommended a particular site months ago. This is very important for online marketing. Google +1 increases the chances of brand recall and rise in profit margins.
Google +1 is an excellent tool for SEO and marketing. However, it has one shortcoming. To recommend a site and see your friends’ recommendations in the search results, you have to log in to your Google account first. Though, if you consider the number of people using Gmail everyday, the possibility of seeing a recommendation while logged in is very high.
