Google+ for Nonprofits - Claim your spot!

Google+ has finally opened up brand pages for businesses (nonprofits) – Yes, that’s one more Social Media network to keep track of.  Since Google+ Brand Pages have become live I’ve gotten an influx of questions from our clients on how to proceed.  I’ve consolidated the advice in this post.

Should I even bother with creating a brand page for my nonprofit?

Yes. Regardless of how you are going to use the page in the future, it’s a good idea to secure it now.  Google has a long way to go, but if it is successful you’ll want to make sure that are able to establish your organization on the platform.  They haven’t yet offered the URL aliases like Facebook has, but think of it as a social media investment for now and reserve your place in line.

How can I create a Google+ Brand Page?

Simple, just follow this Mashable Google+ Brand Page guide.

What kind of exclusive content are Google+ users looking for?

Normally, it’s a good rule of thumb to offer somewhat exclusive content on different platforms so that you have a good mix of social media coverage.

But, seeing that Google+ is in direct competion with Facebook, it would make sense to provide the similar content on Google+ and Facebook, as users may be migrating from one service to the other as competition heats up.  This way you will be set regardless of which platform wins in the end.

You keep saying that I should focus on Facebook still – why is that?

Well, a number of reasons.

1)   Analytics

I’m sure at some point Google+ will integrate Google analytics – but right now, Facebook’s Insights still gives you a better picture of  the demographics of your constituents, interaction with your content and what they are talking about.

2)   Adoption

Google+ may now have over 43 Million users, but Facebook still has over 800 million active users.  And because of the ubiquitous “share” and “like” features of Facebook, your nonprofit’s content is much more likely to be shared on Facebook first.  Especially since those who use multi-platform posting tools, such as Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, to manage their social media posts still can’t use those tools to share with Google+.

3)   Custom Page Content

One of the most recent features that Facebook has implemented allows you to create custom content pages through it’s iFrame App. We’ve actually super-charged this feature with our content management system to create  Campaign Builder for Facebook. A number of our clients have used our CampaignBuilder for Facebook to create micro-sites/contests/donation forms that live inside their Facebook page to better inform and engage fans.

Google+ has a long way to go in offering the features that we all have come to love on Facebook, but from all indication it seems like that it is only a matter of time before Google+ becomes the new social media king. The best thing we can do is be prepared by getting a foothold in the new platform.

Already on Google+? Connect with Forte Interactive