In the Spotlight – You’re a Brand Marketer!

In the Spotlight – You're a Brand Marketer!

In the Spotlight – You’re A Brand Marketer!

Wowed by a brand or a business? Proclaim your enthusiasm with a snappy review seen by the entire online world. Credit goes to sites like Yelp for making such widespread endorsements all the rage on the web. Judging from the soaring popularity of these services, businesses should expect the public to be playing an even larger promo role as time goes on.

Not to be left out in the cold, Google has jumped in with its own review platform. Called shared endorsements, this public forum directly connects to a user’s Google+ activities. And that’s the catch: people wishing to participate must sign up with Google+. Oh well.

Here’s how shared endorsements work: let’s say you offer your humble opinion about a new coffee house, using Google+.  If deemed worthy, your sparkling review could appear in ads for the coffee house whenever users search for that business. Also making a guest appearance in the ad will be your name and photo. If you’re seeking quick publicity, this definitely is the way!

But what about if you’re seeking privacy? Google says you can put your fears to rest. According to the Big G, shared endorsements are restricted by your privacy settings. In theory, your personal info will be seen only by those on your select list. A particular circle of friends. Colleagues. Fellow Golf Club members. Whatever.

If ultimate protection is desired, users can completely opt out. All they need to do is check a designated box. Once the checkmark is entered, your endorsements will be blocked from ads. Also blocked from ads will be the names and profiles of those under the age of 18.

It remains to be seen how shared endorsements will stack up against popular services such as Yelp. It’s all in the hands of the newest breed of brand marketers.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Google+, or about any brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way. You can connect with the Young Company team at 949-376-8404 #4033 or bart@youngcompany.com. And be sure to follow us for the latest brand marketing news and tips.