3 Ways to Use Google+ to Increase Search Rankings

By James Thomas
Published February 5, 2014

Do you want to increase your search rankings?
Did you know your Google+ page and profile could help?
Google+ can help you increase search rankings for your website, but you have to take the time to optimize your page, profile and content.
This article shows you three ways you can maximize your Google+ presence and tells you why that’s important for SEO.

Why Google+ for search?

Google+ isn’t just another social media platform; it’s a powerful weapon in your SEO arsenal.
Check out Moz’s recent Future of Search Report for the latest on ranking factors.

SEO ranking correlations. Image source: The Future of Search: 2013 Search Engine Ranking Factors Released, by Moz.

Editor’s Note: This article has been edited as there’s been a change and the links on the About tab of Google+ Page and Profile are no longer DoFollow links.
The reason Google+ is an SEO goldmine is that the first link added to a Google+ page post is a DoFollow link, which means it passes link equity, or link juice, on to the website you share. If you’re sharing your website, you’re getting the link juice.
DoFollow links are a core building block of SEO. They work in conjunction with PageRank, TrustRank and link context to determine how you rank for specific keywords.

#1: Optimizing Your Google+ Page for Search Ranking

Spending a little time to optimize your information can reap big rewards. With five easy tweaks to your Google+ business page and personal profile, you can build a strong foundation for SEO success.
SEO Title
The SEO title is the name of your Google+ business page (be sure you’re using your company name here). Avoid trying to stuff any keywords into the SEO title—it’s unprofessional and has little SEO value.
Custom Page URL
Google+ recently rolled out the Custom URL feature. This is great news for companies that want to include cleaner links in their marketing. Your new customized URL looks like this: https://plus.google.com/+YourCompanyName.
To set your custom Google+ page or profile URL:

• Go to your page or profile and click About.
• Scroll down to the Links box. You’ll see your existing Google+ page URL.
• Click on the link and Google+ asks you if you want to convert to a new custom Google+ page URL.

Below you can see where I’ve customized the URL for my personal Google+ page to JamesThomasUK.

Google+ Links section.

SEO Meta Description
The SEO meta description for your page combines your tagline and the first two sentences of your introduction. You only get 160 characters, so make them count.