Although Google+ has been discontinued since 2019, during its active years, it could have been a powerful tool to complement email marketing strategies. By integrating Google+ into email campaigns, marketers could enhance engagement, build communities, and extend their reach. Here’s how businesses could have incorporated Google+ into their email marketing strategy for maximum impact, with some ideas that can be adapted to current platforms.

1. Promote Google+ Communities and Collections in Emails

A simple yet effective way to drive traffic to your Google+ presence was by including links to your Google+ Communities or Collections in email newsletters. Here’s how you could have used this integration:

• Call-to-Action (CTA) to Join Communities: If your brand had active Google+ Communities, you could invite your email subscribers to join. Communities were ideal for fostering conversations, providing customer support, or connecting people around specific interests.
  • Example: “Join our Google+ Community to connect with fellow [industry-specific term] professionals!”
• Highlight Niche Google+ Collections: If you curated content through Google+ Collections, these could be featured in email campaigns. For instance, linking to a Collection on a particular topic such as “Marketing Insights” or “Tech Trends” would provide valuable content for subscribers.
  • Example: “Explore our latest Google+ Collection on the future of AI in marketing—click here to access it.”

By featuring relevant Google+ links in emails, you gave your subscribers a reason to visit your profile and engage with your content on a different platform.

2. Share Google+ Hangout Events in Email Invitations

Google+ Hangouts (video conferencing) was an excellent tool for live interaction, including webinars, Q&A sessions, and discussions. By hosting events on Google+ Hangouts, you could have used email marketing to drive attendance.

• Promote Google+ Hangouts in Emails: If you were hosting a Hangout, an email campaign could promote the event with a CTA leading directly to the event link.
  • Example: “Join our live Google+ Hangout this Friday to learn how to grow your business with content marketing. Register here!”
• Follow Up with Attendees: After the event, a follow-up email could include a thank-you message, a link to the recorded Hangout, and an invitation to join your Google+ Community or follow your Google+ Collections for more insights.
  • Example: “Thank you for attending our Google+ Hangout! Watch the recording and join our Google+ Community for ongoing conversations.”

Incorporating Google+ Hangout links in emails was an effective way to drive more engagement and connect with your audience in real-time, especially for businesses offering educational content or consultations.

3. Encourage Social Sharing of Google+ Posts via Email

Cross-promotion between email and social media was essential in building a stronger online presence. You could have incorporated Google+ into your email strategy by encouraging subscribers to share specific Google+ posts.

• Share Relevant Google+ Posts: If you posted something on Google+ that was valuable to your audience, such as a recent article, announcement, or promotion, you could include a snippet of the post in your email and invite subscribers to share it.
  • Example: “Read our latest blog post on Google+ and share it with your network for a chance to win [incentive]!”
• Include Google+ Share Buttons in Email: Many email marketing platforms allowed the inclusion of social media share buttons. You could add Google+ share buttons alongside other social platforms to encourage users to share your content directly from the email.

By integrating Google+ into your social sharing strategy via email, you increased the chances of expanding your content’s reach beyond your email list.

4. Exclusive Offers and Content for Google+ Followers

Creating exclusive content or offers for your Google+ followers incentivized email subscribers to follow you on that platform. Here’s how this strategy could have been effectively utilized:

• Offer Exclusive Discounts on Google+: You could have included an email CTA offering a discount or promotion available only to Google+ followers.
  • Example: “Follow us on Google+ for an exclusive 10% off your next purchase!”
• Exclusive Google+ Content: If you posted unique or premium content on Google+, you could use email campaigns to invite subscribers to access it.
  • Example: “Get access to exclusive industry insights on Google+—click here to follow us and unlock content not available anywhere else.”

Creating exclusivity for your Google+ followers encouraged email subscribers to follow and engage with your Google+ page, helping to build a stronger community.

5. Embed Google+ Reviews and Testimonials in Email Campaigns

Social proof was a powerful motivator, and Google+ reviews (similar to Google My Business reviews) could have been embedded in email campaigns to increase trust and credibility.

• Feature Google+ Reviews in Emails: If your business received positive reviews or testimonials on Google+, you could embed or quote these reviews in your email marketing campaigns. Doing this built trust with your email audience while showcasing your Google+ presence.
  • Example: “Don’t just take our word for it! Check out what our Google+ followers are saying: [Customer review].”
• Link to Your Google+ Profile for More Reviews: After sharing a few key reviews or testimonials, you could invite subscribers to visit your Google+ page to see more feedback from happy customers.
  • Example: “Read more reviews on our Google+ page and discover why we’re the top choice for [product/service].”

Including social proof within your email campaigns, backed by real customer feedback on Google+, increased credibility and engagement with both platforms.

6. Run Google+ Contests and Promote Them in Emails

Contests and giveaways were always popular ways to engage with your audience, and promoting them across both email and Google+ created synergy between platforms.

• Run Contests Exclusive to Google+ Followers: You could have hosted a contest where the entry requirement was following your Google+ page or engaging with a specific post. Promoting this contest through email would have helped drive more participants.
  • Example: “Enter our exclusive Google+ giveaway for a chance to win [prize]—just follow us on Google+ and comment on our latest post!”
• Announce Contest Winners in Emails and on Google+: Once the contest concluded, announcing the winners both in your email newsletter and on Google+ gave extra visibility to your contest while encouraging others to follow for future opportunities.
  • Example: “Congratulations to our Google+ contest winners! Stay tuned for more exciting contests—follow us on Google+ for updates.”

Cross-promoting contests in emails helped boost engagement on both platforms, while also rewarding your loyal email subscribers.

7. Segment Email Lists Based on Google+ Engagement

Email marketing platforms often allowed user segmentation based on various behaviors, and you could have applied this to your Google+ audience.

• Segment Google+ Followers in Your Email List: By tracking who among your email subscribers followed your Google+ page or engaged with your content there, you could have created a separate email segment for Google+ followers. This allowed for highly targeted campaigns.
  • Example: You could send special offers, updates, or content exclusively to subscribers who were also Google+ followers.
• Create Personalized Content for Google+ Followers: For your Google+ followers on your email list, personalizing email content based on their engagement could increase loyalty.
  • Example: “As one of our valued Google+ followers, we have a special offer just for you!”

Segmenting email lists based on Google+ engagement ensured more personalized content and stronger relationships with followers.

Conclusion

Although Google+ no longer exists, it once offered a great opportunity to enhance email marketing strategies. By promoting Google+ communities, Collections, events, and exclusive content through emails, businesses could extend their reach, foster engagement, and build more robust online communities. Many of the principles of integrating social media with email marketing still apply to other platforms today. Building a seamless experience between email campaigns and social media channels remains a highly effective strategy for growing a brand and fostering customer loyalty.