The Google+ Pages Land Rush: Highlights and Recommendations

Earlier this week Google announced Google+ Pages, and so the land rush began. We have been exploring and learning the ins and outs of the new Google+ Pages, and have compiled a quick set of highlights and recommendations for those who wish to claim their territory -- particularly in light of Google’s new search algorithm and how much content and conversations on Google+ will affect search results.

Highlights:

Anyone with a Google account can create a Google+ Page. Note that even if you claim your page, someone can create one with the same name. We assume Google will address this issue sooner rather than later.
Once you create a page, you are the admin for the page. You can’t yet designate others to be admins. I’m sure that feature will roll out soon.
When you’re logged in and on the brand, you are using the Google+ as the page vs. yourself. You can switch back and forth from there.
Much of business pages’ functions are the same as personal profiles and lack unique features for businesses. We’ll stay tuned to new developments.

A few immediate steps to take at this point:

Check if your constituents are on Google+ or if you will mainly leverage this as an SEO tool. Whatever the answer, it's important to know why you are getting into it and how it fits within your strategy.
Develop your Google+ page initially by adding basic content.
Work with your web developers to link Google+ and your website so that you don’t find yourself dragging behind as this new development continues to impact Google’s search algorithm. Three things to do include linking your website and Google+ page via (1) a badge, (2) Google Direct Connect, and (3) the +1 button. Google provides all the codes so that you can do this easily.
Think of your Google+ Circles strategy. Will you be reaching out to media? Customers? Employees? Note: Pages can only add people who have added them to their Google+ Circles.
Incorporate Google+ into your social media editorial calendar.

In an attempt to explain the relatively unfamiliar with the familiar, TechCrunch published a post today that compares Google+ Pages to Facebook Page. Definitely check that out for additional insight.

TechCrunch states there are no metrics to measure engagement on Google+, which is not entirely true. Google+ recently added “Ripples” which lets you see (in a visualization) how a single post has spread across the Google+ network via influencers. Additionally, +1 metrics are now showing up on Google Analytics, which adds to the importance of linking your company’s Google+ page with its website and vice-versa.

What other information about the new Google+ Pages did we miss?