For many people, Google+ is the social media platform they understand the least out of all social channels. A study conducted by Eric Enge found that 90.1 percent of Google+ profiles have never posted anything at all.

Also, take a look at how the number of monthly active users on Google+ compares to the number of users on other social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. While the number of active users on Google+ isn’t as substantial as other social networks, it’s important to understand the impact that having a well-optimized Google+ profile can have on your overall search engine ranking.

Why do you want to rank highly on the search engine results pages (SERP)? Well, a study from Optify tells us it pays to be on top because 75 percent of users never scroll past the first page of search results. Now that you know why you need to rank highly on the SERP, how do you do that? The first step to executing a comprehensive search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is to make sure you’re on Google+ and are using it correctly.

Is Google+ Worth Your Time?

Yes. There is an ongoing conversation about how Google+ profiles affect SEO and to what extent, since Google likes to keep the details of their algorithm on the down-low. One thing is certain: Google encourages and prefers the use of their product over the use of other social media networks. Studies have shown there is a positive correlation between the number of +1’s a post receives and its search ranking. Since individual Google+ posts can populate in search results, active users of this platform have another opportunity to rank highly on the SERP and get more clicks.

Grove Digital Marketing says, “Having a Google+ presence will boost your search engine rankings.” The keyword in this statement is “presence.” To use Google+ to its full potential, you should actively post original and quality content, building your presence on the platform. When using a social media management tool, you can schedule the same content you’re already sharing on other networks to Google+ quickly and efficiently.

4 Steps for Optimizing Your Google+ Page

1. Fill Out All the Information

Creating a Google+ for your business can be a time-consuming process, but we highly recommend taking the time to fill out everything and to triple-check that all of the information you entered is correct. Often, users head to Google to find directions, business hours and leave reviews, so these components should be correct and should match exactly what’s on your website.

Don’t forget to add photos. Research says businesses that add photos get 35-percent more clicks than those that don’t. Trust us—it’s worth the extra minute to set your Google+ page thoroughly and correctly.

2. Create a Custom URL

We also recommend choosing a custom URL that is short, easy to remember and recognizable like the example below.

Important: Once you’ve created a vanity URL, it cannot be changed. So think wisely before finalizing it.

3. Write an Introduction

This is arguably the most important step. Take time to craft a keyword-rich introduction because this will become your meta description. Remember that search engines typically cut off anything after 150-160 characters, so make every word count without keyword stuffing.

4. Post Consistently

As I mentioned earlier, posting to Google+ regularly is important and will only take an extra minute with the use of an efficient social media management platform. In terms of writing copy, marketers suggest treating the first 45-50 characters of a Google+ post as a blog title because those first characters will become the title in search results. See the example below of a blog post I recently shared on my personal profile.

Google+ is a powerful platform that, when used properly, can help to optimize your business’ search ranking, including helping your business appear in local search results. Some marketers describe it as a “miniature website” for your business. We hope after reading this, you’ll become an active Google+ user and experience higher search rankings as a result!