What’s the Difference between Google Plus Business Pages and Profiles?

Socially acceptable: You like your local health club’s page.

Socially weird: Your local health club likes you back on your page.

While Google+ makes it possible to follow your favorite brands and businesses (similar to “liking” a business page on Facebook), you wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable with those brands following you.

This is exactly why Google+ created business pages and profiles; to maintain the normal social boundaries you would expect between a real business entity and a person. That, along with certain privacy settings, is the reason it is important to understand the capabilities – and limitations – of each.

The Difference between Google Plus Pages and Profiles

First, let’s define what constitutes a Google+ page and a Google+ profile:

• Page – for businesses, brands, organizations and public figures

• Profile – for people

Next, let’s compare the two:

Google Plus Pages

With a Google+ page, you can:

• Display the +1 button on your page and website (similar to the Facebook “like” button)

• View the amount of +1s given to your page as well as user counts

• See notifications in your Google bar

• View social analytic reports

• Add up to 50 administrators

• Allow people to see your physical location

But you can’t:

• +1 other pages, profiles or any other web content

• Play games

• Share content with extended circles

• Add people (profiles) to your circles unless they add or mention you first

• Mention people in your comments unless they add or mention you first

It’s also important to note that the default privacy setting on Google+ pages is public, so it’s probably best to avoid posting pictures of Baby Johnny demolishing that plate of spaghetti.

Google Plus Profiles

With a Google Plus Profile, you can:

• Give a +1 to pages and other content on the web

• Mention other people and pages in comments

• Play games

But you can’t:

• Have a +1 button on your profile

Still, There are Similarities

While the differences between Google+ business pages and profiles certainly control the type and amount of information that is shared between businesses and people, the similarities are what make this social networking platform an extremely valuable relationship-building tool for both parties. Whether using a Google Plus business page or profile, you can:

• Manage your circles

• Launch hangouts with your followers

• Publish posts to your wall

Now that you have an understanding of these differences, you can create your own Google Plus page or profile and start connecting in ways that are socially incredible.