by Jesse Noyes | Tweet this From the moment Google unveiled its social networking platform, Google+, marketers and brand managers have been asking, “ When will brand pages be available? ” Google’s answer is today …kind of. There’s a reason I hedge Google’s claim that brand pages are open for business. Like a Facebook brand page, Google pages allow brands to share photos, updates and video. To do that, fans will have to add your brand page to their circles, just like they do for personal accounts. MORE >>

There is an unsettling buzz about the future of Facebook. Some analysts report that Facebook usage is declining , or at least  slowing in some parts of the world  and if that is true, it is a problem of Facebook’s own making. The Facebook is foremost a place to connect with family and friends. Secondarily, Facebook provides a place for self-expression. Yet, for some years, Facebook has failed to effectively innovate on any of these fronts! As Facebook has moved through its IPO, it has increasingly lost focus on serving its primary customers. MORE >>

Let me boil my last post, Google Plus was born prematurely and you should take advantage , down to practical pieces. To help you carefully handle Google+ for maximum advantage, I’ve assembled eight steps that help you get the best searh visibility from your Google+ posts. hacked this awful-looking graphic as an example: Here’s a list of things that you need to consider before you invest your time and energy in Google+: Make sure all your posts are Public. Here’s my Google+ public profile. Use a clean URL when you add your content to Google+. MORE >>

Will Google+ be a “Facebook killer” or just Google’s next failed social network? It’s certainly gaining traction, with over 500 million users now on board, already half of Facebook’s total. Then again, the average Facebook user spends nearly seven hours per month on the site—compared to just three minutes for the average Google+user. Many of this year’s best posts about Google’s newest social platform were written early in the year. So what makes Google+ special? Google+ Guides and Tips. MORE >>

Earlier this year, we began putting together a strategic recommendation for our clients on Google+ Pages for Business.  This new solution blends elements of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter with social sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube, integrating search engine optimization and marketing into the Google network of sites. While they were new and trendy, Google+ Pages had several flaws. However even though Google claims 90 million Google Plus users and a 60% engagement rate, these numbers feel suspect. minutes in December. MORE >>