Google Plus for consumers will disappear on April 2nd. Integrations seem to be shutting down sooner yet. If you have written and shared lots of great stuff at G+ over the years, you should go and download your content. Re-use it for your company blog.
That said, will you notice the loss of Google Plus at your business, practice, or organization? And if so, what should you do about it?
What’s G+?
Does this look familiar? It’s Google Plus, a social platform Google tried out over the past seven years or so. It’s closing down. If you never even knew about G+, you probably won’t miss it.
If you love it and will miss it, we estimate that there is zero chance that Google will change its mind and continue supporting this platform. Enjoy it while you can.
Check your analytics
Google+ has a small but loyal user base. If you see traffic from Google Plus to your website, you should make an effort to communicate with your followers there now. Let them know where else they can find you on the web. See what other communities your Circles are heading to, and join them.
But you don’t have to guess whether Google + sends you traffic or not. In Google Analytics, your Acquisition> Social report will show you which social networks send you traffic. If G+ isn’t on your list, you can ignore the closing of G+. If it sends you some traffic, take steps to keep in contact.
Either way, remove the G+ buttons from your website to avoid broken links.
Don’t forget Google My Business
Consumer accounts are going away, but Google My Business is still around. This has been Google+ for Business and Google Places, and it’s still important for local search.
Losing your G+ page won’t harm your GMB page. If you don’t have a GMB page or you haven’t been keeping up with it, this is a good time to get started. Google may not be a social media winner, but for organizing information, they can’t be beat.
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