Google+ and its effects on SEO

With Google making its foray into the social networking arena with Google Plus, website owners need to understand its effect on search engine optimization. The Google+1 tool is similar to the ‘Like' button on Facebook, where viewers can vote for websites, which ultimately puts the popularity of a website in the hands of web users. One of the advantages is that it prevents black hat SEO techniques being adopted by some websites.

Social factors and search rankings

Although it is too early to determine how Google Plus could influence organic search rankings in the future, some experts speculate about where SEO efforts will need to be directed. One of the factors that may prove Google Plus will have an effect on search engine optimization is evident from other sites like Facebook and Twitter. The number of ‘Likes' or ‘Retweets' on a link has an impact on the way a web page is indexed in Google. Google has made changes to its real-time search features where the number of ‘retweets' a link gets are not considered. However, the same pattern may continue with Google Plus where the results could have an effect on a page's organic rankings.

Google Plus is SEO friendly

For the most part, Google Plus is very SEO friendly and has the potential to improve page ranking. If your webpage or blog is recommended by friends through Google Plus, your webpage will appear in the Google results of your friends on Facebook and Twitter. All your media contacts can be used to promote your website since Google Plus allows you to link contacts in Facebook and Twitter. As your website gains more visibility, your page rank will also improve. Therefore, it is prudent to update your social sites with the Google Plus button. Social networkers want privacy, convenience, ease of integration, and ease of application, which are all factors that can influence your search engine optimization efforts.

When users click on the +1 button, it is an indication that the particular search result is relevant to the keyword on which they based their search. With Google emphasizing more on content being shared on social media sites, it is more likely to validate a blog post, article, photo, or video that has a number of +1 clicks. SEO services are gearing up for the change as each click on a +1 may contribute to Google's ranking of a page. The challenge for a SEO company will be to ensure that clients' web content is being shared with +1 users.