Google +1 – The Importance of Logged-in Search

Google+, the ‘logged-in search engine masquerading as a social media platform’, has received mixed reviews since it was launched just a few months ago. Far from judging the platform on its ability to keep us connected to our nearest and dearest, PR professionals need to dig beneath the surface to understand how this ‘platform’ impacts on search and online PR.

With the internet war between Facebook and Google becoming increasingly hard fought, Google’s social media platform enables the company to give consumers more specific search results, because, it assumes, we will stay logged in to our Google account even when we’re not connecting on Google+.

In its desire to challenge the supremacy of Facebook (which has a logged in and ‘captive’ audience to entice advertisers to spend on the platform) Google needed to create a similar platform to offer advertisers that ‘logged-in’ and highly specified audience. The simplest way to summarise it is that it’s all about the Benjamins.

So, what’s the knock-on effect for us PR people? And what’s with this +1 button, we hear you ask?

Well, it’s all pretty straightforward, really. Google’s algorithm (whilst never seen outside of a small group of mega-wealthy Silicon Valley residents) is sure to favour its +1 button when returning search results. Of course, the inference is that we need to be logged-in in order to give a web page, posting or site a +1, but these all add up over time to create a more social approach to search.

The truth is, for those specialising in online PR and SEO, we need to generate +1s with as much fervour as we look generate online coverage as they both have a positive effect on SERPs for the brands we represent. So, next time you post something, blog about an event, get some online coverage for a client, think about how you can translate this into improved search rankings.