Google has finally brought out Business Pages to G+. Just a couple of weeks ago Google rewrote the code for search, changing a tradition which has been used for over fifteen years and taking the '+' sign (called operand) out of the search queries.
At the time speculation was that Google was doing this in anticipation of the +1 Button popularity and expanding profiles in its social network and it appears to have been the case. Now with the '+' before a Business Profile Google has created a direct connection, unsurprisingly called Google Direct Connect which allows those who look for a business page to find its G+ profile straight from Google search. All they have to do is place '+' in front of the page name as in: +Angry Birds and they will be taken straight to the G+ profile.
For marketers as well as brands this is nothing less than the Holy Grail of Social Profiles and search. To give you an idea of how important this is think that when you create a Business Page on Facebook you then need to go into quite a lengthy social media marketing campaign to get Likes, comments and shares in order to increase its EdgeRank (a Facebook algorithm which determines the importance of a page inside Facebook) have it profiled high on Facebook so that it can then appear the moment someone goes to Google and types 'Facebook Page name' or keywords associated with it.
All this is now, potentially gone. All you have to do is create a G+ business page, and anyone on search typing +'Company Name or G+ Business page name' will be able to go straight from Google search to the Page's profile on G+.
This is likely to get a little more nuanced so we should not prematurely pop the champagne bottles. Google has spent the best part of this year refining search through the Google Panda Update so as to provide more relevant, spam-free results in search for the end user. What I have just described is a recipe for creating more spam pages than ever before and having them populate Google search, courtesy of G+ power, so it is likely that extra safeguards and steps will be added, in addition to the ones currently existing on G+.
One fly in this ointment. Google is restricting the service, temporarily apparently, as it checks stability and works out the kinks. Given that we are so near Christmas this may not be such a great move as it will not leave any time for businesses to take advantage of G+ in their Christmas build up efforts. This is a huge disappointment from Google who have for months now been receiving heat from business journalists at the delay.
The good news is that the wait is over and those of you who have been waiting to unleash the power of G+ to your clients can now start to prepare to do so, just in time for the post-Christmas rush. For those of you who want to get a headstart check out the Google+ Business page on G+, put it in your circles and keep checking back because you will be able to create business pages for businesses and brands from it, as well as get updates. The Official Create a Page Tool on Google Plus is here, make sure it is in your bookmarks!.
***Update: Google has just announced that the roll out has been hastened and should now be globally available. If you still cannot add your Business or Brand through this page, refresh and try again.