The search engine giant, Google, is embracing social networking and business pages in a big way. Google+ Business Pages combines the interactivity of Facebook Pages with features unique to Google+ like segmentation ('Circles') and collaboration ('Hang out'). Barbie is the pseudonym of a freelance writer who, like millions of other writers all over the planet, is always looking for ways of boosting their income.

Each writer is secretly waiting to write that major inner blockbuster that goes viral overnight, generating a comfortable regular income and setting up our writing careerfor life. Until that day comes along, we continue to strive for more fruitful inbound marketing techniques.

Like Facebook, Google+ Business Pages allow you to post updates, photographs, videos and links. Unlike Facebook, Google+ allows you to create what are called 'Circles', segregated lists of subscribers. This gives the page owner the power to decide who sees what content. In our personal lives, what might be suitable content to share with our drinking buddies may not be suitable for our employer or our vicar. On Google+ Business Pages, a company might want to create different Circles for customers living in different locations or for different product lines.

Barbie has set up Circles on her Google+ Business Page for her main article topics (Breweries & Pubs, Neuroscience, Health, Christianity and General Interest), as well as a separate group for networking with other freelance writers. On her Google+ Home Page, Barbie posts content relevant to each segment of her following into the news stream of the appropriate circle. These news streams contain links to articles she has written, naturally, but also other content of interest to her growing readership.

The next step for Barbie and other Google-plussers once the circles have been created is to populate their corresponding feeds on the home page with interesting content. When you are ready to start inviting colleagues and customers to join your circles, they will not be impressed with blank pages, nor will a feed containing nothing but links to your own published conten have them beating a path to your wall! You only need a few items of content, between five and ten posts, just enough to give your page that lived-in look.

Barbie's 'Christianity' feed, for example, has links to two recently published articles, plus a few YouTube videos of her favorite worship music. As for her 'Breweries and Pubs' feed, she will have no trouble whatsoever kick-starting this page. Now that we've rearraged the furniture, put the beers on ice and put out the chips and dip, it's time to start inviting our friends to the party. Post links to your new Google+ Business Page on your Facebook status and Twitter feed, obviously. Search Google+ for other people's pages that are relevant to your own circles. You can follow them and invite them to your circles so that their posts appear on your feed. You gotta work it to get results.

Read and comment on other people's work and invite them to your Page. What we are trying to accomplish here is a cosy environment for like minds, a go-to page for information. A place to hang out. Speaking of 'hanging out', this is another feature of the Google+ environment that sets it apart from other social networking platforms. Barbie will be discussing this in a future post, along with an update of how well her party is going.Breweries and Pubs