Can you imagine how much you would have missed if you had set up your ActiveRain profile but never returned to write a post, make a comment or take time to connect with anyone? You would have missed out on 99% of the benefits that ActiveRain provides!
The same thing could be said about those of you who created a Twitter profile and auto-tweeted your blog posts without ever returning to Twitter to talk to the people, share their tweets or develop a following. Sure your articles are launched out there into cyber space, but no one hardly ever clicks on them anyway and you are missing opportunities to connect with new people.
OK, so maybe the days of Twitter having any impact on Google search were short-lived and are already behind us, so you might be saying "so what" about Twitter, but understand that the same principles apply for the newest and coolest kid on the block, Google+.
I can hear what you're thinking, you're thinking "Oh boy, here's another stupid social network I am obligated to 
participate in. How will I ever find the time? Well I oughta at least go set up a profile."
participate in. How will I ever find the time? Well I oughta at least go set up a profile."Do you know why I can hear what you're thinking? Because the voice inside my head said that same exact thing when I heard about Google+! I guess it takes one to know one! lol.
Now, however, with the changes Google has made to social search, the implications of not being involved may be huge and it may eventually cost you a lot in lost commission dollars!
The game is ever changing and I'm not sure exactly how this is all going to play out, but here's what I have been seeing for about the last week or so. Anything that I have shared on Google+ is coming up really high in my SERPS. I am getting a huge bump for the most competitive keyword phrases, Albuquerque Real Estate and Albuquerque Homes for Sale. OK, that's not that impressive, search results have been personalized for a long time. Remember when the little icons used to appear at the bottom of your search results?
What is different is how and where the social share results are displayed in the search results. They're not at the bottom, they're not at the top, they are listed within the top 10. This is huge. Now, instead of having one spot on page one of Google, I have three or four. Some of my competitors who used to be on page one are gone, off of page one! You will see similar results for my keyword phrases if, and this is a big if, you are engaged with me on Google+.
But that's the catch, we have to be connected and engaged. otherwise the search results look just like they used to.
The potential here is huge. Three or four posts on page could translate into three or four times the clicks.
Socail search is not going away, it makes total sense. If you are not on Google+ you are missing out on what is a real opportunity to catch up to those people already on page one of Google. Right noe users can turn off the csocail search feature, but in 6 months will that still be true? Will you be positioned to take advantage of your social network?
To get prepared I am going to get way more serious about connecting online and especially on Google+ with everybody I know including Realtors, Lenders, Title Company people, prospects, current clients, past clients, people I meet at church and at open houses. It's alwasys great to make frineds with others, and if we are engaged on Google+, it could give my SERPS a big, big boost.
Get started now! Get ahead of the curve!! Lead the way to the new social network!!!
And please connect with me on Google+, but only if you plan to engage.
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