Since the creation of the first Google+ pages in 2011, businesses have been attempting to figure out how it works. At its start, most people did not know its use and simply made a page in order to save their brand name. However, businesses are now seeing the benefits and are becoming more engaged with their pages. Once the basics of Google+ are known, it is easy to see the immense opportunities that are available for users. Google uses its Google+ pages to get real time search results for its search engine. Google was partners with Twitter whom they used to get their real time search results. After Twitter decided to spilt from Google they were left lagging behind and needed a new way to get updated results. They created Google+ to fill the gap that Twitter left behind. Google+ is the reference that Google goes to first when looking for search results. Therefore it can be seen how important it is for people, especially businesses, to create and load their page with information in order to help their SEO standings. Creating a page is fairly simple. You go to Google, create an account and get a Google email address, and then sign up for a Google+ page. Next you choose a category for your page such as product or brand; whatever you want your business to be categorized as. Next you fill out your details. Make sure everything is public or it will be of no use to you or Google. Finally follow as many people as you can and even send out emails to your existing customers to have them follow you or create a page. Details are very important when it comes to Google+. They are what help with your SEO standing. Every detail that you put on Google+ with give you a SEO "point". The more information you have the higher your importance to Google. Google uses the size and importance of your Google+ account to prioritized search results.If you include keywords into your posts on Google+, Google will pick up on these and place your site higher on the search result list. It is also important to know that a clean URL should be used as it is easier for Google to pick up in searches. Just like Facebook, you can add video, pictures, and even link other people's accounts in your posts. The benefit here is that Google+ is actually using your account for more than just social media. Something that you have probably seen on other pages you have visited was the +1 icon for Google+. This button can be added to any page or article on the internet, even pages that are not Google powered. This is just like the "like" button on Facebook, but it is used to help with SEO. People +1 things that they like and these +1s show up on their profile for their friends to see. You want people to +1 your posts and articles because it is then spread throughout the network of the people who +1'd your posts. The more +1s that you have, the better your position will be in Google's search results. The goal is to get everyone you can to +1 your posts so you can get more SEO "points" from Google. Obviously Google+ had a little bit of a slow start but it has begun to be noticed by businesses because of its benefits. Businesses are always trying to increase their positions in search engines and this is a good way for them to do it. They also get free advertising through Google to their customers so it is easy to see why businesses should create an account and get started on Google+. It is a huge opportunity for them to spread the word about their business throughout the Internet. Savanna Eckenrode