10 Brands Who Stand Out on Google+ and How They Do It
With more and more brands creating presences on Google+, we were curious about what makes pages stand out in a crowded marketplace.
For this post, we took a look at ten brands with extraordinary numbers on Google+ (via stats available on Zoomsphere) and paid attention to how they represent themselves with an about statement, the photos/artwork for their profile and the types of “shares” (posts) they make to help them stand out and drive user engagement.
The company pages include: ESPN, Cadbury UK, ZAGAT, Glamour Magazine, WIRED, H&M, Android, Starbucks Coffee, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. We think you’ll be able to glean some insights from their presences and how utilizing a variation of different types of updates will keep your users engaged.
Before we begin, we’d like to offer two valuable suggestions from Guy Kawasaki who offered these tips in a recent interview. Guy suggests the following:
Tip #1 “Make sure that people feel like they’re interacting with a person, even if your Google+ page represents a company.”
Tip #2 “Adopt what I call the NPR model. NPR provides great content 365 days a year. The content is so great that we tolerate the telethons and fundraisers. The content you share on Google+ should provide value: information, analysis and assistance. Your content should be so great that you earn the right also to promote your product or service every once in a while, like 5% of the time.”
A Look At 10 Businesses on Google+:
Numbers: +910098
About statement: We +1 Sports
Artwork: Five photos that represent the diversity of sports they cover
Why we like them: Creative Engagement
A unique share we liked:
We’re hosting a Google Hangout with Colin Cowherd on Monday, March 26 at 1:15 EST to talk some college hoops.
Comment on this post if you would like to join our hangout.
Numbers: +744807
About statement: Official Treat Provider to the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games
Artwork: Demonstrates products and includes a call to action
Why we like them: Speak to users and solicits their ideas
A unique share we liked: Catch up on our Triple Chocolate Tasting Hangout from earlier this week… then let us know what would you like to see in the next +Cadbury UK Hangout?
Numbers: +723881
About statement: Trusted ratings & reviews for restaurants, nightspots, hotels and more
Artwork: Creative use of space by using all five photos for one panoramic image
Why we like them: Use survey as engagement tool
A unique share we liked: Have you dined out in the Bay Area in the last year? Check out our photo album of San Francisco’s Best Restaurants by Neighborhood. And don’t forget to vote in our San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants Survey: http://zagat.bz/GRHqSE
Numbers: +669862
About statement: Welcome to Glamour Magazine on Google+
Artwork: Show five different magazine covers
Why we like them: Follow-through and continuation of a theme
A unique share we liked: To continue our The Hunger Games celebration–check out (and send!) some of these hilarious ecards from someecards! Celebrate the Opening of Hunger Games By Sending Your Friends One Of THESE: Obsessed
Numbers: +615790
About statement: Wired Magazine and Wired.com Official Google+ Page
Artwork: Each photo is a letter to spell out their name
Why we like them: Share cool and different types of information
A unique share we liked: Someone created an algorithm that automatically solves “Where’s Waldo?” puzzles using the Mathematica programming software.
Numbers: +555452
About statement: Fashion and quality at the best price
Artwork: Each photo demonstrates commitment to fashion
Why we like them: Share photos of their merchandise available in selected stores and online
A unique share we liked: Would you like to win a fabulous new spring wardrobe? Find our three photo locations in central Los Angeles for a chance to win a $1000 H&M shopping spree. Join the competition at http://on.fb.me/wJ4gFy
Numbers: +586479
About statement: A place for Android fans everywhere to meet, share and get the latest on all things Android
Artwork: five photos, eye-catching animated gifs
Why we like them: Cool use of photos for photo contest
A unique share we liked: Looks like there’s a lot of love for +Angry Birds! Show us the best proof of your fandom (fan art, wearing an Angry Birds costume, etc) and we’ll put our favorite pics as our scrapbook photos in time for tomorrow’s Angry Birds Space launch.
Numbers: +533597
About statement: Our mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit–one person one cups and one neighborhood
Artwork: Five photos demonstrate products and mission
Why we like them: Speaks to and celebrates world community which ties in with their mission
A unique share we liked: It’s the year of the Dragon! Happy Chinese New Year!
Numbers: +505072
About statement: Where there’s music, there’s Pepsi
Artwork: five photos create panoramic view
Why we like them: Integrate Google+ update with traditional media
A unique share we liked: All I’m askin’ is for a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T ! Check out our Super Bowl spot featuring Melanie Amaro, Elton John, and a surprise guest ! Pepsi – King’s Court Super Bowl
Numbers: +499442
About statement: Open Happiness. The official Coca-Cola page on Google+
Artwork: Five photos demonstrate the light touch of Coca-Cola and happiness theme
Why we like them: Unique tie-ins with their happiness theme.
A unique share we liked: The opposite of a frown, Turns a bad day upside-down.
There are more than a million,
And less than a trillion.
So many people with so many styles,
You can be part of the O _ _ B _ _ _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ .com
Final thoughts: Make good use of your about statement, artwork and most importantly engage users with fun and diverse types of shares on Google+. And when it comes to information to share, Guy Kawasaki’s suggestions are worth repeating here again:
“The content you share on Google+ should provide value: information, analysis and assistance. Your content should be so great that you earn the right also to promote your product or service every once in a while, like 5% of the time.”
Are you on Google +? What content drives engagement on your page? Let us know in the comments below.
