Google+1 on site or on google+ for SEO?

[ocelot]

Hi

Have just read an inspiring post by Cyrus @ www.seomoz.org/blog/tips-to-use-google-for-seo

But before I ask my existing social media contacts and email lists who have a Google account to +1 my site, what offers most benefit from a search visibility perspective?

Should I ask my contacts to +1 my homepage (there is a +1 button on there)

or

Click on the +1 button on my businesses Google+ page and also ask them to join my circles?

Hope this makes sense?

Many Thanks

[Cyrus-Shepard]

Hi ocelot,

There's not a lot of data on the subject, but a few studies have suggested that a high number of +1's to a page is highly correlated with rankings.

An early such study: http://www.searchmetrics.com/en/white-paper/google-ranking-factors-us-2012/

If I had to rank the value of various Google+ activities, the most desirable would be a public share - where the individual +1's your site, adds a comment and shares publicly to their profile.

After this would be a simple +1 without the share, (with the hope that the individual has made their +1's public)

But why not shoot for the moon? Ask them to +1 your Google+ page and add you to their circles. You'll have a much greater shot at this if you add them first. Then, once they are in your circles, you can share great content with them that they will be forced to also +1 based on the sheer awesomeness of what you're sharing.

Hope this helps. Best of luck with the SEO!

[ocelot]

Thanks Cyrus for the advice

It's a difficult one especially in the UK where adoption levels of Google+ both on a personal and business level are nowhere near the adoption rates in the US.  Consumers in general have not taken then plunge yet to use this social network, the majority of users are business owners, marketers or IT.  Many consumers do not even have a google account if they are not using gmail as their mail provider so it's goign to be difficult in asking for +1's with no account!

So its a difficult one but there is a lot of emphahsis on building up the number of +1's on your homepage for SEO benefits and also building up your businesses circles in Google+

So the best approach would be to send out a tweet/email etc asking them if they can +1 my homepage?  Then I could always follow it up with a request to add them to the +1 to my business google+ page.

[Cyrus-Shepard]

Sounds like a solid plan. Keep your +1 buttons visible, use your Google+ account to engage with others, and keep growing your visibility over time.