Google+ Business Pages: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up-to-date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention.

What’s New This Week?

Google Launches Google+ Business Pages: Google+ users can now create pages for their brands and businesses.  Check out these tips before heading over to create your own Google+ Business Page.

Google+ Begins Offering Badges for Google+ Pages: “The Google+ badge helps you grow your audience on Google+ and show more recommendations in Google search by letting people add you to their circles and +1 your page, all without leaving your site.” At the moment, Google is only offering these badges through the Google+ platform preview group which is easy to join. NOTE: Badges are only shows to others who are registered for the preview group.

Google+ badges "make it easy for your audience to subscribe to your posts and endorse and share your site."

LinkedIn Brings Analytics To Groups: You can now check out a variety of statistics on all LinkedIn Groups: demographics, growth, activity. The news Group Statistics dashboard is on the right of all Group profiles. Use these stats to identify the best groups for you.

Check out the demographics for our private LinkedIn group for participants of the upcoming Small Business Success Summit.

LinkedIn Updates Events Feature:  LinkedIn Events now makes it easier to find the right events to attend and gives you an “easy way to find and connect with the right folks attending those events.”

LinkedIn Events includes a feature called “Attendees you may want to meet.”

Think Insights With Google Rolls Out of Beta: Think Insights is a one-stop shop for consumer trends, marketing insights and industry research. Check out Google’s new information and resource hub for marketers and follow the conversations about it here.

"With just a few clicks you can spot emerging trends and gain valuable consumer insights, all in real time."

HootSuite Releases New App Directory in Advance for Pro Members: HootSuite Pro members can now share, manage and upload content with the YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr and Get Satisfaction apps. HootSuite basic users will have access to the social content in the near future as well.

It’s quick and easy to install apps and add them as streams to your dash.

Buffer Adds Facebook Integration: Buffer has upgraded its easy-to-use dashboard. “You can now post the same update to both Facebook and Twitter, or have them posted to either network only.”

Now Buffer users can schedule updates on both Facebook and Twitter. Google+ and LinkedIn are coming soon.

Groupon Introduces Deal Types and Places:  When you log on to Groupon.com, you now have a Personalization Bar to define your favorite Deal Types and Deal Places.  This makes it easy to find the deals you want.

Here’s a social media presentation worth noting:

And don’t miss this:

Social Media Examiner presents Small Business Success Summit 2011! (online conference) Join 25 experts, including including John Jantsch (author, Duct Tape Marketing), Anita Campbell (founder, Small Business Trends), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner and author, Launch), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing), Jesse Stay (author, Google+ for Dummies), Hollis Thomases (author, Twitter Marketing), David Siteman Garland (founder, “The Rise to the Top” and author, Faster, Smarter, Cheaper), Joe Pulizzi (founder, Content Marketing Institute and co-author, Get Content, Get Customers), Brian Clark (founder, Copyblogger Media), Lee Odden (founder, TopRank Online Marketing), Ramon Ray (founder, Small Biz Technology and author, Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses) and Lewis Howes (co-author, LinkedWorking)—just to mention a few (scroll down to see full list)! Go here to learn more.

What social media news caught your interest this week? Please share your comments below.