7 Simple Ways To Optimize Google+ To Get More App Downloads

Google+ is usually an afterthought in most social media marketing discussions.

There are good reasons for that. Even a halfway decent Facebook and Twitter content marketing strategy can bring a lot more traffic to an app store page or app website. These two platforms are in the top five of referral traffic sites, for many websites.

Google+ in comparison, doesn't have nearly the same number of users or number of visits. It has been referred to as a "ghost town," by some.

But don't believe the hype. According to a study done by Forrester, Google+ boasts interaction rates that are comparable to Facebook and far better than Twitter.

There is also another big benefit, Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Google crawls Plus posts much faster than random webpages. So posting on Google+ allows you to control the indexing of your content, instead of waiting for the Googlebot to get around to your website.

Effective tagging and keywords in your post can also give Google vital clues about the content of your website and app. Since SEO-like signals factor into Google Play rankings, it also stands to reason that strategic publishing on Google+ can contribute to better Play Store rankings. It certainly won't hurt your rankings, unless you engage in spammy tactics.

So in this post, we will give you seven simple ways to optimize your Google Plus page. They won't take a lot of time and spending just a few more minutes a week can have big payoffs for your app.

1. Publish Regularly

If you haven't been publishing to your Google+ page, or if you don't have one, now is the time to get it going. It is simple and doesn't take a lot of time. Regular posting will help you build your following.

You can schedule your posts by using tools like Buffer or Hootsuite. Since you are probably already scheduling content for Facebook and Twitter, simply spend a couple more minutes coming up with content for Google+.

Highlight new features in your app and post a link to your app store listing occasionally. But the majority of your posts should be content that your users would be interested in.

2. Target Keywords In Your Posts and Use Hashtags

When you post a link to one of your blog posts or webpage, consider using related keywords instead of your original title. This helps you avoid a possible penalty that can come with targeting the exact same keyword across all backlinks.

This also allows you to test different headlines for future posts. Sometimes Plus posts appear directly in search results, so a little keyword experimentation can broaden the reach of your content.

Google+ also allows you to include hashtags in posts. When people click on a hashtag, they can flip through other posts that have high engagement and also use that hashtag. People may discover your posts via other pages, simply by browsing hashtags.

3. Get A Custom URL

If you have more than 10 followers, your account is more than 30 days old, your profile has a photo and your account is in good standing, you qualify for a custom URL. To find out more about getting a custom URL, you can read this help document from Google. A custom URL makes your page look more professional and easier to find in web search.

4. Add Your Links

Next, fill out the "Links" section of your page. It may not drive a ton of traffic, but every little bit helps.

Only list the sites where you have solid content and you want people to follow you. The goal is quality, not quantity.

5. Craft A Compelling Story

When you fill out your tagline and page description, be sure to put a lot of thought into it and emphasize your app's message, value and story. Also keep in mind that your tagline and introduction will be used as the meta description for your page.

Only the first 160 characters will be used, so be sure to craft carefully. Google uses a combination of the two elements, so be sure to double check your SERP listing to see that the right parts of each are being displayed.

6. Optimize the first 45 Characters Of Your Posts

The first 45-50 characters in your post becomes that post's page title, so choose carefully. Make it attention grabbing and give people a reason to click on it.

Of course, you should avoid blatant clickbait tactics. But make it interesting and give people a legitimate reason to find out more.

7. Make Your Posts Pretty

Finally, all of the above won't matter much unless you make your audience stop scrolling long enough to click on your link. So be sure to add images or videos to make your posts more interesting.

Only Google+ and Pinterest allow animated GIFs, so be sure to take advantage of this fact. They are a great compromise between the immediacy of static images and the longer form story telling of videos.

Conclusion

Implementing these super simple optimizations can help you increase the visibility of your app in Google web search and get more app downloads. The great thing is that it won't take long and can easily be added to your existing social media workflow.

Do you think that Google+ will ever be a more popular social network than Facebook? Give us your opinion in the comments below...