Upon releasing “Google+ brand pages” back in November, Google showed that it was providing its own version of small business social media marketing to provide an alternative to Facebook and Twitter. However, Google+ has had trouble gaining traction with users who are already content with Twitter, Facebook, and other other older social media sites. Therefore, it is difficult to say whether its new brand pages will end up being a crucial component of a smart internet marketing strategy. But for those business owners who are eager to spread their business’ name to as many online locations as possible, here are several tactics you can use to make the most of Google+ for your small business:

1. Set Up Your Brand Page

In order to set up a page for your business, you first need to have a Google+ personal account. Scroll down; on your right it will say “Create a Google+ Page.” Select “Local Business or Place.” The next several steps should be self-explanatory as you fill out the information on your small business.

2. Make the Most of Circles

Google+ does a great job of giving you a way to sift through your contacts in the form of “circles.” Circles allow you to create your own custom groups and categorize your contacts in whatever way you see fit. This could be beneficial for small businesses who run franchises and need to separate their customers by location, or even just for making the distinction between “customers” and “staff.” You can then share separate content with separate circles.

3. Learn How to Use the “Hangouts” Feature

Google+ allow you to host a multi-user webcam conference, which it refers to as a “Hangout.” Hangouts are extremely versatile and live up to their name by letting you socialize with other users, with each user connecting from the comfort of his own computer. Within hangouts, you can share YouTube videos or documents, or even draw pictures the other users can see. Hangouts could essentially function as a way for your small business to host meetings or conferences without anyone having to be in the same place. Read this article for an extensive run-down of all the things you can do in Hangouts.

4. Create a Page for SEO Purposes

Because Google+ is run by the very company who currently dominates the SEO industry, it can only be helpful to set up your business on Google+ to send Google a signal that your business is staying current with the happenings in social media marketing. Stay connected! Use the tools Google+ offers to spread the word about your page and include it in other areas where you link to your business’ social media accounts.