Fight for businesses on social networks intensifies as Google + enters the fray

Were Facebook a country, it would be the third largest in the world, with over 800 million subscribed users. This kind of reach is something marketing professionals could previously only dream of and marketing professionals have promptly turned their focus towards these types of social media sites in order to better publicise their firms.

Google only recently allowed companies to set up profiles on its social networking site. The firm waited until weeks after its initial launch before Google + Your Business was unveiled, but many of its features appear to be well suited to a company looking for publicity.

Google + offers benefits of circles

The circles concept of Google + means that a company has the potential to increase awareness rapidly as different people in different circles '+1' a page. The '+1' button is essentially the Google version of Facebook's 'Like' button, although being linked up to the world's most popular search engine is a clear advantage.

Google offers other impressive features, such as the ability to 'hang out' with clients and customers, meaning companies can get genuine business-orientated advantages beyond the usual exposure benefits. Google's impressive set of analysis and search tools also make an appearance in Google + for Businesses, allowing users to properly monitor who is looking at their pages and how much they are being mentioned within the network.

Facebook is still the behemoth of social networking

Where Facebook has an undisputed advantage in the battle for a business' social media marketing, is in its size. Currently over 36 million people 'like' the Coca Cola page on Facebook, an incredible figure which would not be possible on any other social networking site. However, these numbers also provide a disadvantage, in that it can be hard for a company to get seen in amongst all the users and all the companies vying for their attention - and it makes it difficult to target a message at any one particular consumer group.

Another issue can be people's attitudes to social networking. They are primarily there to interact with friends, rather than to be sold products or made aware of companies. The fact remains though that companies have never before had such huge opt-in audiences easily reachable through a free resource.

That social media is primarily a free resource is perhaps one of the contributing factors to the findings of a recent report which stated that businesses in emerging markets are embracing social media much quicker than those in developed markets. The research, from Grant Thornton's International Business Report, showed that while the 35% of businesses in Europe are using social media in some capacity, in emerging markets the figure is much higher.

Another major social networking player is LinkedIn, which is primarily aimed at business people, but not necessarily businesses. There is a company search on the site but most firms use the site for recruitment rather than large scale marketing.

Twitter is another option

The other major option for businesses is Twitter. The usefulness of Twitter varies depending on which sector the company works in. For all companies it does provide another form of communicating with their customers, although many customers are now mainly using Twitter as a glorified complaint form, with the added bonus of public humiliation.

User expectations also differ according to which social medium is being employed. While people are happy to wait hours, or even days, for a response to a query or complaint on LinkedIn, and may not even expect a reply from a Facebook company fan page, the immediacy of Twitter means that if the company doesn't respond immediately this is construed as a negative by the user (and wider audience).

Social networks are a major method of marketing for any companies now. And while setting up a business page or account remains free, companies should look to be involved in any and every social networking possible. Facebook with its huge number of users is the obvious choice, but Google + and its links to Google search is also a must for serious corporations looking for exposure. These can then be complimented with the likes of Twitter and LinkedIn. Like most marketing, it's a case of assigning the right time and budget in the right places - without leaving any area neglected.