Google Plus Business Profiles
Oestlien: We expect to have an initial version of business profiles in the next few months; http://eicker.at/GooglePlusBusinessProfiles
Oestlien: We expect to have an initial version of business profiles in the next few months; http://eicker.at/GooglePlusBusinessProfiles
AdAge: “After three months of testing the social-network waters, Google+ is finally ready to make a big splash. … At Ad Age’s Digital West conference last week, Christian Oestlien, group product manager for social advertising at Google, announced it’s close to unveiling Google+ business profiles that will permit companies to create pages and circles like those of an individual user of the social network. … Asked how Google+ plans to police the network for authentic and inauthentic users, Mr. Prosser said it is taking a few different approaches. If companies notice that a logo or profile is being improperly used, it can report the profile to Google, which will respond with what it calls a ‘soft takedown.’ The user will be given a few days to change the name or appeal the finding before Google takes further action, but even if the person is found guilty there won’t be other ramifications; it won’t shut down Gmail or other services for the user.”
Oestlien: The business experience we are creating [for Google Plus] should far exceed the consumer profile; http://eicker.at/GooglePlusBusiness
Oestlien, Google: “The business experience we are creating should far exceed the consumer profile in terms of its usefulness to businesses. We just ask for your patience while we build it. In the meantime, we are discouraging businesses from using regular profiles to connect with Google+ users. Our policy team will actively work with profile owners to shut down non-user profiles. … Over the next few months we are going to be running a small experiment with a few marketing partners to see the effect of including brands in the Google+ experience. We’ll begin this pilot with a small number of named partners. If you represent a ‘non-user entity’ (e.g. business, organization, place, team, etc.) and would like to apply for consideration in our limited program (and be amongst the first to be alerted when the business product launches)… In fact, it was kind of an awkward moment for us when we asked Ford for his (or was it her?) gender!”
Mashable: “We’re not surprised that Google is building an optimized Google+ experience for businesses, but we are surprised that Google wasn’t more prepared for the wave of brands that have been joining its social network. The same thing happened with Google Buzz and has happened on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and countless other social networks. Brands like to go where their customers are.”
You made some first rate points there. I looked on the internet for the problem and found most individuals will go together with with your website.
Gerrit Eicker 09:05 on 22. July 2011 Permalink |
Oestlien: “A few weeks ago we mentioned we would be doing a test of business profiles and asked people interested to apply. Believe it or not we actually had tens of thousands of businesses, charities, and other organizations apply to take part from all over the world. … With so many qualified candidates expressing intense interest in business profiles, we’ve been thinking hard about how to handle this process. Your enthusiasm obligates us to do more to get businesses involved in Google+ in the right way, and we have to do it faster. As a result, we have refocused a few priorities and we expect to have an initial version of businesses profiles up and running for everyone in the next few months. There may be a tiny handful business profiles that will remain in the meantime solely for the purpose of testing how businesses interact with consumers. … In the meantime, we ask you not to create a business profile using regular profiles on Google Plus.”
TNW: “The change of heart comes after anger about Google’s apparent favouritism towards organizations like Ford, Mashable and ourselves from Jason Calacanis and others. Google Plus has shut down and reactivated these accounts on multiple occasions – our own was shut down a few weeks ago before suddenly becoming available again, and the same thing happened this morning after the most recent ban wave. We’re not too sure what’s going on. – It seems however that Google is encouraging businesses, for the time being, to pick a real person from its organization as a mouthpiece who can share links on the network.”
Sullivan: “Hey Google, I’d say I know you’re all new to the social game and should be forgiven that you have messed up with how to handle brands here so badly. Except, you’re not new. – For one, you know that Twitter and Facebook both support brands, and that there would obviously be demand for this here. You failed to implement that support. Bad on you. – I know it’s all ‘field trial,’ but that’s not really an excuse, given that you knew – had to know – this would happen. – Worse, you gave no clue that Google Profiles were suddenly changed to bar non-humans from using them. Before Google+ came along, this wasn’t a problem. I know. I remember Google Buzz, when plenty of brands, including our own +SEL on Google Buzz account, started up. – No one said a word against this. No one told us not to do it. So when Google+ happened, no one had any idea the rules had changed – and especially changed for Google Profiles which are a superset of Google Plus.“
Xenu 18:12 on 4. August 2011 Permalink |
Business ad revenue is a big piece of Facebook income, yet Google+ provides nothing for small businesses who either want a Google+ presence or want to advertise. You are alienating your income sources before they are even on board. Who makes these business decisions at Google? Are they getting a big bonus this year?
Gerrit Eicker 18:28 on 4. August 2011 Permalink |
Google Plus is still in its field trial. They are going to offer Business Profiles (see above). And I’m pretty confident that they’ll offer advertising opportunities lateron.
Xenu 19:39 on 4. August 2011 Permalink |
I’m fully aware this is a “field trial.” But even someone not in the social media world could anticipate and had better systems in place prior to such a launch. Calling something a “field trial” does not excuse professional negligence and/or incompetence regarding such an obvious issue as business profiles (and subsequent advertising). Of course, it is possible the entire Google+ is being run by teenagers with no business background whatsoever, in which case I retract and apologize my criticisms.