Here we are! Four months in and after having gathered 40M users, Google has finally launched official brand pages on Google, the +pages.

Many had elevated expectations regarding those pages, especially regarding customisation: they hoped they would be able to totally brand their page, unlike on Facebook.

Unfortunately, they will be disappointed, because on this aspect, Google emulates Facebook’s way of doing things; the brand page is very similar to a user’s profile, with profile picture, bio, photos and videos.  At the moment, there is no application or equivalent of a landing tab, but it will probably arrive soon.

Google have announced some particular feature to promote its +Pages.

• You’ll be able to use Google hangout to hold direct video customers with customers
• You’ll be able to separate your followers into different circles; useful if you want to share a post only with a particular group of customers (most loyal customers, people from a particular country etc.): the possibilities are stronger than on Facebook or Twitter

For the moment, it is impossible to get analytics for your page. But when we consider the gap between Facebook analytics and Google analytics, Google definitely has analytical skills that Facebook doesn’t, and it should provide to users many more precise insights than are currently available on Facebook.

Many brands have already created their pages: Pepsi, Toyota, Angry Birds, FC Barcelona, Orange, and L’Oreal. Will Google+ become a competitor to Facebook and Twitter? We can’t say now; it is too soon to judge it. But with 40 million users, Google+ has definitely reached a size which can already be interesting for brands.

These +pages might elevate in importance in the coming months, and Carve Consulting recommends protecting your name by creating a Page, even if you don’t currently plan to use it.

• +1 widget to embed on your website
• It will be possible to look directly for a +page on Google search, by typing the name of the brand followed by “+”. We tested this feature named “Direct connect”, but it isn’t currently live.

Carve consulting can create your +page, please feel free to contact us in this regard at contact@carveconsulting.com

I recently had the pleasure of presenting to the APSCo meeting in Manchester, where we presented ideas around online reputation for recruiters, or “Reputation 2.0″.

We’re always talking about how consumers are more savvy than they’ve ever been, that they can see right through all the brilliant, creative advertising campaigns, marketing efforts and stratgic PR placements.

So, it was not surprising to see the results of this recent report on marketingmag.com.au that showed 54 per cent of Australians can think of an organisation they don’t trust anymore. And aparently banks and telcos have suffered the greatest dip in consumer trust. Paul Gardner from Grey who created the report with Sweeney Research says:

Consumers want proof that a company is what it purports to be.

The good news is that the web now allows organisations a way to engage with consumers on a different level and really show them that they are what they purport to be and begin to re-build that trust.

There is no better way to build trust - or perhaps no more risk-prone way - than doing it online. Your online reputation is quickly becoming the most important one you need to be aware of and manage. The growing popularity and transparent nature of social media allows consumers to see right through an organisation.

For those organisations with nothing to hide - this is a good thing. Its those who have been using advertising, marketing and PR to portray an image that does not reflect their core values who will be unmasked when the web gives consumers x-ray vision.

A brilliant book by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents, has some great insights into how to do just that. It is highly recommended reading - I’ll post some highlights from it soon.

Written by Sarah Thomas, Managing Director of Carve Consulting (Australia).