Google+ introduced Company Pages in November 2011, just a few months after the social network rolled out in full to the public. Emarketer explains that it’s been estimated that fewer than 10% of the U.S. consumer population has a Google+ profile, far less than its social networking competitors like Facebook, but that hasn’t stopped brands from creating Company Pages and trying to engage with consumers via those pages. Given the fact that Google+ is already affecting social search on Google, having a Company Page is an essential part of many marketing plans. However, Google+ still fails to drive the deep levels of engagement that brands want.
Simply Measured studied the Google+ Company Pages for Interbrand’s top 100 global brands and found that 64 have verified pages. More Google+ members are starting to add Company Pages to their circles, too. Here are some highlights from the Simply Measured report (data as of May 7, 2012):
- Approximately 5,000 people had added 35% of the brands from Interbrand’s top 100 companies with verified Google+ Company Pages to their circles (up from 21% in February 2012).
- 22% of brands had been circled by more than 100,000 people (up from 13% in February 2012).
- Video posts were the most popular content on Google+ Company Pages with 115,000 +1s, comments and shares during the second quarter of 2012 (up from 66,000 during the first quarter of 2012).
- Automotive brands have been doing the best on Google+ in May 2012 (2.7 million users have added an automotive page to their circles). Luxury and Internet services brands are also doing well on Google+ now. This is a shift from February 2012 when electronics and beverage brands were in the most user circles.
The study found that people are participating far less frequently on Google+ than they do on Facebook and other social networking sites. As of May 9, 2012, the industries that were in the lead in terms of fan engagement on Google+ among Interbrand’s top 100 brands in the world (based on number of circlers) were:
- Automotive = 2.7 million circlers
- Electronics = 1.9 million circlers
- Luxury = 1.3 million circlers
- Internet services = 1.1 million circlers
- Beverages = 1.0 million circlers
- Apparel = 0.7 million circlers
- Restaurants = 0.6 million circlers
- Sporting goods = 0.2 million circlers
- Business services = 0.02 million circlers
- Computer software = 0.01 million circlers
- Media = 0.01 million circlers
- FMCG = 0.008 million circlers
- Financial services = 0.006 million circlers
- Diversified = 0.004 million circlers
- Transportation = 0.002 million circlers
As a social network, Google+ has a long way to go, but brands can’t ignore it. The relationships between Google+ and Google’s other products, particularly Google search, are simply too important to ignore. Is your brand on Google+? What has your experience been so far? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Image: Fabrizio Van Marciano
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
