Google+ has figured out a new way to monetize its social platform and drive more traffic back to it from across the web, with a promoted posts feature called “+Post.”
The basis for +Post is the same as any other promoted post on a Social Network, but with one key difference. Instead of the promoted post being shown on the Social Network itself, it’s actually displayed across Google’s Display Advertising network.
+Post ads amplify your brand’s content by easily turning Google+ posts into display ads that run across the web. The live, social ad format allows you to go beyond clicks to live conversations with your audience. People can join a Hangout On Air, add a comment, follow your brand or give a +1, right from an ad.
The ads drive traffic directly to the brand’s profile page, the +posts in fact act like a regular Google+ posts. Users can interact with the advertisement instead of just clicking and visiting a page. It can record +1′s, comments, shares etc. wherever it is displayed.
Ads become more relevant with social context. Comments, +1s, and shares from friends can move people to engage with your ad. Social actions on ads and Google+ add up together, showing the full picture of engagement with your content. +Post ads expand in a lightbox to bring full screen social creatives across the web.
We think this is an incredibly innovative idea, Google is taking it’s power of the web and transforming it to drive traffic to their social network, it’s clever and looks to have been brilliantly executed. Time will tell if Google’s attempt to channel the power of their extended advertising network will benefit advertisers on Google+ or if they’d be better off just using AdWords.
