Help with Google Plus, please. (Rand looks like his got this under control)

[activitysuper]

Hi,

I understand most of the major social networks but for some reason I just cant get my head around Google Plus, it just seems real messy.

But I got to learn it as it's good for SEO so a few questions for the GPlus wizards.

1. From what I can see you have to elements profiles and business pages. It looks like it's a lot easier to build a following using a personal profile (like Rand has) then creating a business page and generating a following through that?

2. One thing that surprised me and I may have missed something out, but if I go over to say Nike business page, I can quite happy without even following them put up a comment. What's to stop a user from dumping a link to there business page and exposing it to all of Nikes followers?

3. If another user commented on a post I put up will this then notify there circles? How does gaining comments on my posts gain me exposure in the network?

I could probably ask another 10 questions but that enough for now, im just trying to understand how it all works as ive only just started to look at it really over the last 2 days.

Cheers

[Mark_Jay_Apsey_Jr.]

ActivitySuper-

Here are some answers and clarifications:

1.) Personal and business pages both can generate significant results. Depends on where you want the traffic to go and what effort you put into it.  Here is something specific from Rand regarding his recommendations:  (URL link is http://www.seomoz.org/blog/21-tactics-to-increase-blog-traffic-2012)

RANDS comments:  Leveraging these networks to attract traffic requires patience, study, attention to changes by the social sites and consideration in what content to share and how to do it. My advice is to use the following process:

• If you haven't already, register a personal account and a brand account at each of the following -Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn (those links will take you directly to the registration pages for brand pages). For example, my friend Dharmesh has a personal account for Twitterand a brand account for OnStartups (one of his blog projects). He also maintains brand pages onFacebook, LinkedIn and Google+.
• Fill out each of those profiles to the fullest possible extent - use photos, write compelling descriptions and make each one as useful and credible as possible. Research shows that profiles with more information have a significant correlation with more successful accounts (and there's a lot of common sense here, too, given that spammy profiles frequently feature little to no profile work).
• Connect with users on those sites with whom you already share a personal or professional relationships, and start following industry luminaries, influencers and connectors. Services likeFollowerWonk and FindPeopleonPlus can be incredible for this:

2.) There is nothing stopping from someone from dumping links and content onto a business or personal page. that is the true power of social networking. If you have something important to say and you think it warrants attention, then do it. Make sure you provide them a link back to your personal or business page....

3.) If you are getting comments on your posts it doesn't automatically notify everyone in their circle. But remember, if they are getting to your post than they are interested in something you are saying. Make sure you provide them an opportunity to link to additional content or your own pages. You will see on the right hand side of google plus a people and pages link that they can add.....once they add you then you will have access to their "circles".

Hope this helps.

Mark