Google recently started up a new feature on their social network, Google Plus, called Communities.
What Is A Community?
Good question! It’s a group set up with a specific focus or theme. All posts shared to a particular Community should be related to it’s theme.
I’ve joined a couple Communities so far:
This Community is mainly comprised of other web developers who work with the Genesis Framework coding for WordPress.
Getting a little to geeky here? I know, it sounds like it, but to me these people all want to talk about the same kind stuff I want to talk about – developing WordPress sites using the Genesis Framework by StudioPress (affiliate link).
We share new project launches, discuss issues that some developers might run up against, and hopefully solutions. It’s a supportive and sharing community that will help me develop my skills in web development and gives me a chance to give back at the same time to help others.
As a photographer I love black and white photography, and I love photographing people. This community is much like the first one I mentioned. We share our work, discuss, critique, etc… It’s a community that obsesses as much as I do over monochrome photography.
Shameless Personal Plug – you can check out some of my b&w work on my new photo blog: BlackandWhiteLife.com
C’mon, Do It!
Look For Communities You Like
- Do a search
- Find a Community you like
- Join
- Share
- Engage
- Benefit From
- Help Others
Can’t Find One? Start One!
Can’t find a Community that covers what you like? (really?) Then start your own. Google makes it very easy to setup and run your own Community.
How Communities Can Help Your Business
Social activity is playing a more important role in search engine rankings and it’s going to keep going further in that direction. The more active and engaging you are on social networks gets noticed, and what better network to be noticed on than Google’s. Content shared on Google Plus is indexed much faster than other sites (including your own website).
Also, if you do start a community it could be a cool place for your loyal customers to gather. That would be a great way to keep your customers close, and a great way to get noticed by Google.
Please note, you have to have a Google Plus account to be a part of a Community.
Okay, get out there and socialize! 🙂
