The CraftStar Social Media BootCamp Week 5
Google +
(BELOW IS A BASIC TRANSCRIPT OF THE SHOW)
Guests: Ben Fisher and Christine DeGraff
February 11,
2014
5pm PST / 8pm EST
Welcome
to The CraftStar Social Media BootCamp – Week 5 …. Focusing on Google _ … with
special guests Ben Fisher and Christine DeGraff – both mighty Google plussers!
If you’ve
missed our first four bootcamps, you can catch them on our YouTube
channel: http://www.youtube.com/CraftStarTV
Week 1
was about the basics of social media… what IS it? How best to use it.
Week 2
was focused on Pinterest and Instagram … and our guests, Anna Bennett and Jenn
Herman were FANTASTIC!
Week 3
was all about BLOGGING.
Last week
we focused on Facebook and Twitter.
So, what
is The CraftStar Social Media BootCamp?
Six weeks of delving deeper into various forms of social media to grow
YOUR small business. We’re aiming these
sessions at creative small businesses on The CraftStar.
As a
small business owner … social media isn’t a “I wish I had time for it” kind of
thing, it’s a MUST. There is so much
competition out there in the e:commerce world … that you need to get people’s
attention with YOUR items. BUT … there’s
a right way to use social media and there are wrong ways. The last few weeks have certainly shown us
that!
By the
way … while we’re doing this 6 week BootCamp on Tuesday nights … we do follow
ups on Thursdays … BootCamp Breakdown with Brandon … where YOU can join us in
the room and ask Brandon any questions you have related to the show. We want to make sure everyone is clear on
what we went through before we move on to the next week.
Bethan:
Let’s meet our guests! First up …
Ben … who introduced us to the wonders of Google + a few months ago!
Ben: Ben’s BRAGGING RIGHTS!
Tagline
I Help You Grow Your
Google+ Brand Page and Social SEO Strategist, Internet Marketing since 1994
Introduction
If
you are looking for an experienced person that really cares about your growth
and success online, then I may be the right fit for you. I have had the
pleasure, over the last 15 years, helping 100's of small businesses succeed. I
have personally worked with companies ranging from bed & breakfasts to
technology giants. If you are serious about being found in this new Social SEO
world, contact me,
I love to help and educate.
Proud to have produced / conceptualized and executed this:
Hulk Hogan and GoDaddy Live in
my HOA
Intrigued
- Keep Reading?
I am
the co-founder of a company called Steady Demand.
We are solely focused on Business
Brand Page Management on Google+. To put it simply, we do all the heavy
lifting, writing, engagement, developing quality followers and we stay up to
speed on social and search so you can focus on what you do best -- growing your business.
( We also educate you along the way ) -
Check out this free tool we created to help you check your connection from your G+ business brand page to your
website. The tool will also grade your posts and teach you
how to make them the best they can be.
We
started Steady Demand after a few of our consulting clients came to us and
started asking for help with manual penalties. We saw the coming of semantic
search ( Hummingbird ) Social
Signals and the convergence of Social and SEO a while ago, so we decided to
apply Google+ and experiment with how we can help companies rank better
naturally.
Using
a combination of relationship building, thought leadership and the creation of
great content, we will work with you ( as a partner ) to
help you meet your business objectives.
The
circles I would recommend to putting me in:
- Google
Plus Educators
- Internet
Marketing and Strategy
- Google
Plus for Business
What do I share on Google
Plus?
- Google
Plus Tips
- Google
Plus Experiments
- Google
Plus News
- Sometimes
funny things and video game related stuff
PS I am available on
Helpouts sometimes:
Review Your Google Plus Business Brand Page
Learn How to Post Properly on Google Plus
Things
I am proud to be a part in founding:
TheHostingNews.com and ServerSchool.com,XBLAFans.Com,SteamGameFans.com, PSNFans.com TheGameReviews.com,
-- (Mobile Apps ) iNetManiagame.com EvilPerfected.com
I am
also the moderator for the 1st Google Plus Linkedin Group
If
you need my bio here it is:
Mr.
Fisher is an experienced veteran in the SEO and Social Media space.
He began experimenting and practicing these
disciplines back in 1994 when Internet Marketing and SEO was not even a
buzzword. Ben works with most of the leaders in the Internet
Marketing community and is himself a speaker at conferences such as PubConand HostingCon.
Ben has worked with such clients as Seagate,
Hostway, ValueWeb, Godaddy, Ipower ( Endurance International Group) , SoftLayer,
CodeMasters and D3 Publishers.
Bragging
rights
Had Hulk Hogan and
GoDaddy in an HOA, Internet Marketing since 1994, Beta tester of many Google
products, Tagline Creator - Go Plus Yourself! and SKETCH
Bethan: … and welcome to your first LIVE
show on The CraftStar … Christine DeGraff!
Christine:
Christine’s BRAGGING RIGHTS!
Tagline
Hangouts On Air Host,
Google+ Connection Queen!
Introduction
What's My Story?
I believe my story is
still being written. It is constantly evolving and changing and in fact, may
never be complete. Lately I have been busy helping others tell their story in
my "role" as the #ConnectionQueen of
Google Plus. You can learn more on my website or by searching hashtag #31People.
Live Hangouts On Air
I am currently
co-hosting three very popular Hangouts On Air (HOAs) here on Google Plus. They
are:
#TNTBootcamp
Ronnie Bincer and I
have teamed up to co-host Influence
Marketing Tools N' Techniques (aka
#TNTBootcamp), a new Live HOA series #TNTBootcamp on the 1st & 3rd Mondays
each month at 2:30pm EST. #TNTBootcamp will help you learn to identify and
engage with key influencers in your industry and to understand how to "get
on the radar" and become influential yourself.
#15MinutesOnAir
In addition to the
#31People project mentioned above, I am currently working on several other
projects to introduce some really fabulous people here on Google Plus to others
that may not have them in their circles. One of these projects, #15MinutesOnAir w/Christine & Mia, is
a live weekly hangout on air (HOA) that I co-host with Mia Voss. Each week on
Wednesdays at 2:30pm EST, Mia and I introduce a guest that we feel has a great
story to tell. Whether a guest's story is inspirational, motivational to
educational - or just an excuse to get to know someone better - each show is
unique and refreshingly different!
#OnlineMoneyShow
I am also the co-host
for the Online Money Show w/David Oldenburg on Fridays at 1:00pm
EST. The Online Money Show features social media influencers and Internet
marketers to cover topics related to social media, online business and current events.
#MyMusicHangout
I have several pages
and communities but the one I enjoy the most isMy Music Hangout - that's where I go to share and
listen to music with cool peeps. I am a huge fan of heavy metal,
alternative and southern rock: (in no particular order) Metallica, U2,
Eminem, Muse, Linkin Park, The Beatles and a dozen or so other artists plus a
bunch more randomness! Random is the word of the day when it describes my taste
in music! Click here to join my music
community!
Shared Circles
I am interested in all
things related to Google+, social media, music, SEO, data mining, web
development and current events. I like stories that are inspirational,
motivational or educational. If you would like to put me in your circles, those
are the ones I belong in!
Circloscope
I am one of the owners
of Circloscope,
an easy, powerful circle management tool that can help you clean up and manage
your Google+ circles. Learn more at www.circloscope.com.
About Christine
Christine DeGraff is
an entrepreneur w/15 yrs experience in web development, SEO and Internet
marketing. Her Google+ profile is ranked among the Top 200 US women by CircleCount.com and she consistently ranks in the Top 50 most popular women in the US based on engagement.
Her Klout/Kred scores put her in the Top 1% of online influencers.
» Salem County Women
of Achievement Honoree
» NJ's Best 50 Women
in Business by NJBiz
» Finalist Emerging
Business of the Year by NJBiz
» FANATI® Winner
Outstanding Customer Service
Bragging
rights
Mia Voss nicknamed me
the #ConnectionQueen
Bethan:
Some basic statistics for Google +:
Google +
There are now over 1 billion with
Google+ enabled accounts
It has reached 359 million monthly active
users
Google+ is growing at 33% per annum.
The 45 to 54 year old bracket increased
its usage on Google+ by 56% since 2012
Bethan to Ben:
With those numbers … Google + is a GREAT place for small businesses to
market?
BEN ANSWER
Bethan to Christine:
What’s the most important thing to keep in mind while STARTING on Google
+?
CHRISTINE ANSWER
Bethan to Ben:
Let’s break down the two types of Google + pages: personal and brands. As a small business owner … how do you
separate the two?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to Christine:
Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard from every guest that social media
isn’t a form of what I call “splash and dash” – you need to build
relationships. How does that apply to Google
+?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan: When we first found the magic of Google +, I was
enthralled, and just jumped in. We did
it wrong … to make the most out of it, you need a plan … and that includes
organizing CIRCLES.
Bethan to Ben:
Can you please explain CIRCLES?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to Christine:
Keeping TRACK of circles is something super important on Google + and
you’re the PERFECT person to talk about that!
CHRISTINE ANSWERS / CircloScope
Bethan:
Let’s
look at some more numbers:
1.
Google Plus now receives more than 1,203
million monthly page visits.
If you had any doubts on the number of users
going to Google Plus every month, this statistic will put that fear to rest.
These numbers only keep growing as Google Plus continues to gain relevance.
2. More than 540 million users utilize Google Plus every month.
You read that figure right! That many users
are actively sharing photos, posting new statuses, and responding to
comments.
3. More
than one
billion registered people are using Google Plus.
Skeptics who believe Facebook took over Google
Plus are mistaken. While Facebook does maintain its lead in number of users,
it’s not very much at 1.19 billion users.
4. Nearly 68% of Google Plus users are male, while 32% are female.
It
may be helpful to keep these demographics in mind when marketing your
business’s content on Google Plus. Are you trying to reach a much larger male
audience, or are you zeroing in on a more tightly knit female demographic?
5. 70% of business brands have a presence on Google Plus.
Are
you a part of that 70%, or are you still holding out like the other 30%?
Businesses made this smart choice because great things are certainly in store
for the Google+ platform.
6.
After page authority, a URL’s number of Google +1s is more highly
correlated with search rankings than any other factor.
There was much controversy and debate over
this outstanding statistic released by Moz. Even though +1’s alone don’t amount
to much, users can gain a plethora of knowledge from this relevant content and
a high numbers of +1’s.
7. The
+1 button is clicked more
than 5 billion times a day.
Social media users like their content and
share it when they can. This data simply shows that Google Plus is one active
social network that isn’t going away anytime soon.
8. More
than 20
million unique mobile monthly users are on Google Plus.
We understand that it is difficult to add
another channel (mobile) to the points of access to your business. However,
mobile users are active on Google Plus ,and your business should start
exploring it as well. If you don’t show up where users are located, they won’t
find you.
9. 1.5 billion photos are uploaded to Google Plus each week.
If
your business is image-based, this statistic is excellent news for you! Think
of how much digital real estate you can cover by uploading your business’s
photos into the platform.
10. The number one activity on
Google Plus is uploading and sharing photos.
Believe it or not, the majority of Google Plus
users share GIFs and images. Again, if you have a photo-centric business, this
can potentially work in your favor.
11. 6.6 million Google Plus users are located in
America.
Cleary, Google Plus is most popular within the
US. If only small businesses in the states knew that! People really enjoy the
Google Plus experience. Talk to the users and find out for yourself!
12. Nearly
800,000 users sign up for Google Plus per month.
You can bet signups will only increase as time
goes on. Take advantage of the rising membership, and spread your message
through a new Google Plus page!
13. 28%
of millennials (15-34 year olds) use Google Plus.
Young people are not only using Facebook, but
they are also utilizing Google Plus. This comes as no surprise; it is
easy on Google Plus to connect with users, thanks to the Google Plus Circles
mechanic. The young people who are on Google Plus are looking for quality
content targeted to them, not a confusing, endless stream of content like in Facebook.
14.
Google Plus’s 45-54
age demographic increased 56% since 2012.
If your target market is older individuals on
social networks, check out Google Plus. A lot of people in this age range are
choosing Google Plus over Facebook, as more adults prefer the selectivity of
communication through Google Plus Circles.
15. DeviantART is one of the fastest growing Google Plus profiles on a daily basis.
Once
again, this goes in line with the sharing of visual content. Users like
creative and funny visual content. Make sure your page incorporates sharp
visual content in order to get shared.
16. Britney Spears has the highest Google+
follower count at more than eight
million followers.
Despite
what others may thing, entertainment brings followers to your Google Plus page!
Do not only promote the same dry content hoping that if people see it enough,
they will click it. Add personality to your page and entertain people. This
formula never fails.
17. 26%
of mobile Internet owners who use their devices to access social
media sites visit Google Plus.
As we often say, don’t limit yourself to the
social networks you think are more successful. Venture into the ones that have
potential, and you will get access to markets that you normally never see.
Mobile Google Plus users might be interested in what you do! Don’t ignore them.
18. 41% of online business-to-consumer marketers
use Google Plus, compared to 39% of
business-to-business marketers.
Time
to jump on the Google Plus bandwagon! B2B and B2C marketers use Google Plus to
engage their audience and consumers. You can do exactly the same and get more
customers and traffic that way for FREE.
19. Android
is the most popular brand on Google Plus at more than 5.5
million followers.
If this data point should reveal anything,
it’s this: people care about their brands. It doesn’t matter if you are a
business or an individual. When you provide value your audience can learn from,
they will follow you, no matter what the platform.
20. Google Plus is the fastest growing website in
existence, acquiring nearly 25
million users in its first month.
It
is not a lucky coincidence that Google Plus is growing fast. This victory
was a planned success. Billions of people use Google already. No matter what
seems to be the case or what rumors you read, Google Plus cannot be ignored.
Bethan to Ben: with those kind of
numbers, Google + is REALLY effective for small businesses, if used properly!
Ben ANSWERS – WHAT
GOES ON GOOGLE, STAYS ON GOOGLE
Bethan to Christine: What are the dos and don’ts of promoting
your small business on Google +?
Christine ANSWERS
Bethan to Ben: What’s the best way of building your CIRCLES? And why is that so important?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to CHRISTINE: How do you build engagement?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan to Ben: What do YOU like most about Google + compared
to Facebook?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to Christine: Facebook is still the biggest kid on
the block, but there are some pundits predicting that by 2016 Google+ will
surpass Facebook on “social sharing”.
How do YOU see this playing out?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan to Ben: let’s go back to
the very basics … what are you, as a small business, trying to achieve by using
Google +?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to Christine: My one
issue with Google + is that to do it properly is very time consuming! When someone is running a small business,
time is tight, because they’re creating or curating … so how would you suggest
adding Google + into the mix?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan to Ben: what is a perfect Google + post? (keeping in mind we’re selling stuff here!)
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to BEN:
One of the GREAT things about Google +, is the amount of information on
there – a learning tool. What’s the best
way to find info on areas you’re interested in?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to CHRISTINE:
Another great feature of Google + is communities … there are tons of
them, and you’re bound to find some that fit your small business .. how do you
go about that?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan to BEN:
With all the social media platforms out there … people are looking for
shortcuts to cover as much as possible. What
do you need to look out for when doing this?
Bethan to Christine:
what’s YOUR social media balance?
Do you have a daily plan?
Weekly? How do you keep track of
what you’re doing and the success of it?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Bethan to BEN: where can people find you online?
BEN ANSWERS
Bethan to CHRISTINE:
where can people find you online?
CHRISTINE ANSWERS
Thank you
BEN AND CHRISTINE!
GOOD
NIGHT! Next week on The CraftStar Social
Media BootCamp – WEEK 6! We’re rounding
up SOCIAL MEDIA
Tomorrow
night … LIVE SALES on The CraftStar … Four GREAT SELLERS, four GREAT DISCOUNT
CODES! Shopping from the comfort of your
home …!
Thank you!
Where to find Ben Fisher:
Google+ URL
google.com/+BenFisher
YouTube
Ben Fisher
Business Audit Tool -- For Google Plus Brand Pages
Where to find Christine DeGraff:
Google+ URL
google.com/+ChristineDeGraff
YouTube
· Christine DeGraff
·
www.ChristineDeGraff.com
www.Circloscope.com
SOURCES:
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