How Becoming a Google+ Evangelist Improves Your Search Rankings

What if I said you could get an awesome free eBook from a bestselling author, help improve one of the world’s top companies, generate a strong following on a new-ish social network, and boost your presence in Google’s search rankings all by subscribing to a single email list?

You probably think I’m crazy!  Maybe I would think so too if I was in your shoes.

What’s a Google+ Evangelist?  How Will This Work?

A Google+ Evangelist is exactly what you’re probably thinking: Someone who “preaches” about Google+ to non-users in order to convert them to users.  Quite plainly, your role as a Google+ Evangelist will be to promote content related to Google+ and to inform others of the benefits of Google+.

As for how this works, it’s pretty simple really.  But first let me mention, if you sign up, you’ll get a free copy of Guy Kawasaki’s eBook What the Plus!, which breaks down just about everything you need to know about Google+!

Everyone who opts to become a Google+ Evangelist will receive an email each week or every couple weeks from Guy Kawasaki.  The email contains a list of hot content related to Google+, including news articles, blog posts, press releases, videos, and so on.

Our job then, as evangelists, is to bring Google+ to the masses by sharing this content like crazy.

As more and more content about Google+ is shared through other social networks, people will become more aware of the great benefits of Google+.  In theory, more people will start using Google+ and the network will grow like wildfire (no pun intended).

As a result of constantly spreading cool, interesting information about the network, people are likely to see you as influential and knowledgeable about Google+, meaning you’ll have a solid following on the new network and a new area of expertise to share!

If you’re already on board, you can sign up by clicking the image below.  If you’re not on board, keep reading! 

To be very clear, you will be subscribing to Guy Kawasaki’s email list, not mine.

If the image above doesn’t work, click here.

Why Bother?  Why Should You Care About Google+?

Part of the problem with Google+ is a lot of digital and content marketers simply aren’t aware of the usefulness and (growing) importance of Google+.  What are these benefits?

Search Engine (SEO) Benefits

• Google Author and Author Rank

Google Author allows you to connect your blog content directly with your Google+ profile and places a picture of you next to your posts in Google searches.  The obvious benefits are plentiful — more click-throughs on your articles, because your picture catches peoples’ eyes and increases the trustworthiness of your links in search results.

But the more subtle (somewhat speculative) benefit of Google Author that is often overlooked is Author Rank.

Author Rank is just as the term implies: It’s a value system that rewards authors for consistently producing quality content, as well as for having a well-engaged, participative audience, primarily on Google+.  How much of a role this plays in Google’s current ranking algorithm is, of course, unclear, but it’s safe to say its role as a ranking signal is likely to grow as Google+ grows.

Just below is a great video from Matt Cuts and Othar Hansson discussing how authors can connect their content using authorship and what the payoff is for doing so.

 

• Google+ Posts in Search Results

Another benefit of using Google+ and having an active following on the network is the integration of Google+ posts into search results.  A keyword-driven, well-optimized post on Google+ has good potential to rank in searches.  This is one huge area where Google+ beats Facebook, hands down.

Increasing Integration with Google Services

The primary goal of Google+ is to weave a giant web through all of Google’s products and services — a network that creates a seamless sharing experience no matter where you are, what kind of device you’re using, or who you’re sharing with.

Of course, we know Google+ is being integrated with Google Search in some fashion, but another cool concept is the Google+ Events feature being integrated with Google Calendar.  When you accept an invite to a Google+ Event, it automatically adds that event to your Google Calendar.  Even something as simple as that can be very handy for users and there are all kinds of other cool integrations with other Google services — YouTube, Google Play, Google Local, and so on.

The Numbers

Hey, we all know Google+ isn’t Facebook when it comes to the numbers (that’s why we’re evangelizing after all).  Regardless of the differences between how each network defines an “active user,” we know Google+ has significantly fewer active users than Facebook…reasonably so.

The last number I saw was 100 million active users (likely higher now) on Google+.  That number is nothing to sneeze at and can be a positive in some ways — it gives you an opportunity to lay a solid foundation and really connect with people, especially since users of Google+ are currently way more open to connecting with “strangers” compared to Facebook users.

Now Do You Want In?

There you have it!  Great reasons to jump on the Google+ train and an opportunity to join Guy Kawasaki along with thousands of others to bring Google+ to the masses.

Plus, don’t forget you’ll get a free copy of Guy Kawasaki’s eBook, What the Plus! after you subscribe.

As emphasized above, you’re subscribing to Guy Kawasaki’s email list, not mine.

Again,  if the image above doesn’t work, click here.

(When you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation email. After you confirm, you’ll get a thank-you email. That email will contain a link to the free eBook.)

Follow Me on Google+

I don’t get anything special by promoting this “evangelist program.”  My motivation is to see Google+ grow and meet its potential.  If you’re on Google+, please add me to your Circles and leave a comment letting me know so I can add you back.  If you’re not on Google+, I have to ask, “Why not?”