Since the implementation of Google+, companies have been learning and tweaking strategies to successfully use the platform for social media purposes and SEO.  If used correctly, Google+ can be a bountiful platform for many companies, including real estate. There may seem to be a smaller active audience for real estate on Google+ compared to other social media platforms, but being active in Google+ can really benefit your website’s search engine optimization. Here are some secrets to gaining exposure and enhancing your SEO through Google+ for real estate companies.

Treat Your G+ Posts Like Blog Posts: Think like you are creating a mini blog post.  A great title and great content are two of the most important things for making a successful blog post. You will want to spend time especially on the title. Creating a blog post about community life in the area you sell real estate is a great read for potential buyers, but getting them to click on the blog post is critical. A Google+ post with an eye-catching headline will gain more attention than just a link to a blog and no information. The more interaction this post receives the more likely it is to show up on Google searches for information about that area’s community life.

Don’t Be Afraid To Go Into Detail: One thing that makes Google+ different from other social networks is that you can format your status updates to include bolded letters, bullets and more. Most social media platforms prefer when you keep posts short and visual.  Google+ is visual, but it’s also a good place to include a lot of information in your posts.  Check out these tips from Moz for formatting your Google+ posts.

But Don’t Forget Your Images: Although Google+ is text-heavy, content that has an attractive image attached is far more likely to be clicked. Use images of homes you are selling, attractive community images, eye-catching images of activities and more. Combining a striking image with a strong headline will make your post shareable and Google+ rewards shares through SEO.

Hashtags Are Not Just For Twitter: The hashtag is very important on Google+ and works differently than on Twitter. Google uses hashtags to relate your post to other topic hashtags. A person may be looking for real estate in a nearby town, but if your hashtag is related to what they are searching your post will show up.  If a person is looking for information about home loans and you have “#mortgage” in your post, Google+ may display your post to that person.

Embed G+ Comments in Your Blog: Google+ has a plugin that allows comments to be shared on Google+.  This makes social sharing easier for those who are active on Google+.  The blog will gain more exposure and this will count as a share on Google+.

G+ Ads: Google+ now offers ads. Creating an ad with your best Google+ post or a post that you feel will create traffic can lead to more +1s and shares on the platform.  This is also a great way to have your post show up in Google searches. If you create a post about the five best parks in your area it is likely to gain likes and shares. This improves your chances for showing up in searches about the area parks and can help you reach potential buyers.