Business tips
8
min read
Google Plus was supposed to be the social network that changed everything. But it didn’t.
Launched in 2011 as Google’s answer to Facebook, it aimed to connect people, boost engagement, and, at least for SEOs, offer a shortcut to higher rankings. And for a while, it seemed to work.
Google Plus SEO was a hot topic, and as experts in marketing design, we at TodayMade saw the industry buzz firsthand. Posts appeared in search results, the +1 button looked like an SEO goldmine, and Google Authorship promised to make expert content shine. Then it all disappeared.
So, what happened? Did SEO with Google Plus ever truly work, or was it just hype? More importantly, what replaced it? Let’s break it down.
For a brief moment, Google Plus SEO benefits seemed undeniable. Google appeared to favor its own platform, making it a must-have for businesses and marketers. But did it help search rankings? Let’s analyze Google Authorship, social signals, and Google Plus’s search integration to uncover what influenced rankings and what was simply a misconception.
Google Authorship was the golden ticket. Linking your content to your Google Plus search engine optimization profile could get your photo in search results, boosting credibility and click-through rates. Many assumed it was a ranking factor.
But in 2014, Google pulled the plug without warning or explanation. It turns out that Google never needed Authorship to recognize writers. Even without markup, it could track authors through linked content.
At SMX 2016, Google’s Gary Illyes said Authorship was never a ranking factor. At Pubcon 2023, he confirmed it again. Google does identify authors, but mostly for its Knowledge Graph, not rankings.
Moral of the story? Authorship looked important, but it never really was.
Marketers swore that Google+ SEO engagement, like shares, +1s, and comments, boosted rankings. Google never confirmed this. While social signals may have helped indirectly (by increasing visibility and traffic), they were never a direct ranking factor.
Moz Google Plus analyzed its impact and found little evidence that +1s directly influenced rankings. Ultimately, Google’s algorithm cared more about content quality and backlinks than social engagement.
The takeaway? Social signals may boost visibility, but they don’t directly impact rankings. They’re great for exposure and engagement, but not for gaming Google’s algorithm.
For logged-in users, Google personalized search results with Google Plus activity. This made it look like engagement improved rankings, but it was just an illusion. Outside of personalized search, SEO Google Plus didn’t hold much weight.
If you were logged into Google, your search results were tailored based on your Google Plus activity, so, naturally, posts from your connections ranked higher for you. This made it seem like engagement on Google Plus directly boosted rankings, but those “SEO benefits” vanished outside that personalized bubble.
This wasn’t the first time Google experimented with search personalization. They did it with Search Plus Your World (2012), an attempt to prioritize Google+ content in search results. They have continued tweaking search results based on user behavior, from Knowledge Graph updates to AI-driven ranking adjustments. However, these changes were about customizing search experiences, not making social engagement a ranking factor.
So, was SEO with Google Plus ever a real strategy? Not really. It was more of a Google-favored ecosystem trick than a confirmed ranking factor.
In 2019, Google shut down Google Plus. Hardly anyone was surprised, as the platform had been a ghost town for years. But for SEOs, the shutdown still left a few gaps, forcing marketers to rethink strategies:
Google Authorship was already axed in 2014, but some SEOs still hoped author credibility would play a bigger role in rankings. The death of Google Plus made it clear: Google was moving in a different direction.
Google Plus posts used to rank well in search results, offering a shortcut to visibility. When the platform disappeared, that trick also disappeared.
Without Google Plus, marketers needed new places to distribute content. Some turned to social media followers on LinkedIn and Twitter (X) for authority signals. Others leaned into Medium for marketing and Reddit to drive engagement. SEO strategies had to evolve.
But great content alone isn’t enough. It needs strong visuals to capture attention. People process images 60K times faster than text, and the right design sparks emotion, curiosity, and trust. That’s why brands now prioritize consistent, high-quality visuals across all channels.
Take SEOCrawl, an SEO toolset for professionals and agencies. The TodayMade team helped shape their brand identity by designing their website, marketing materials, email templates, reports, and even YouTube thumbnails. Every element aligned with their vision, turning design into a strategic growth tool.
Google Plus is gone, but SEO didn’t collapse with it. Google simply shifted its focus. Here’s what filled the gap:
When people search for businesses nearby, whether it’s “Italian restaurant” or “best coffee shop near me”, Google pulls local results from Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Unlike Google Plus, this matters for rankings.
If your business isn’t appearing in local searches, your Google Business Profile might be incomplete or outdated. To improve visibility:
✔ Claim and update your profile: Ensure your business name, address, phone number, and hours are accurate.
✔ Add high-quality photos: Businesses with images get more clicks and engagement.
✔ Encourage customer reviews: More positive reviews = more trust and higher rankings.
✔ Post updates and offers: Keep your profile active to attract more local customers.
Managing multiple locations? Use bulk upload spreadsheets to edit 10+ profiles at once.
Social media still doesn’t directly affect rankings, but platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and Reddit help in other ways. They build credibility, drive traffic, and signal authority, things Google does value. If you’re an expert in your field, an active LinkedIn presence can do more for your SEO than Google Plus ever did.
Here’s how social media helps SEO:
✔ Brand awareness and authority: Consistently sharing insights on LinkedIn or Twitter can establish you as an industry expert, leading to more brand searches (which do influence rankings).
✔ More backlinks and referral traffic: Viral or highly shared content can attract links from blogs, news sites, and industry publications, one of Google’s top ranking factors.
✔ Faster indexing: While social shares don’t directly impact rankings, content that gets widely shared can be crawled and indexed faster by Google.
✔ Indirect engagement signals: A strong social presence can increase click-through rates (CTR), dwell time, and branded searches, contributing to better rankings over time.
As one Quora author summarized, “Google measures all the data they can get their hands on…”
Google Plus tried to establish credibility through social proof. Today, Google cares more about Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T):
In addition to blogging insights for marketing strategy above, your content’s ranking also depends on:
✔ Who you are: Are you a recognized expert in your field? Do you have real-world experience in the topic you’re covering?
✔ What you know: Does your content demonstrate deep expertise? Do credible sources back your claims?
✔ How trustworthy your site is”: Is your site secure, transparent, and free of misleading information? Are other authoritative sites linking to you?
Google Plus was a failed experiment. However, for SEOs, it left behind valuable lessons on how actually to build sustainable search visibility.
Google Plus was a lesson in what not to rely on. Here’s what SEOs can take away from its rise and fall:
1. Google can (and will) kill its own products.
Don't get too comfortable if a Google-owned platform gives you an easy SEO win. Google Plus, Google Authorship, and even rich snippets. If something doesn’t work for them, they’ll shut it down.
2. Don’t put all your SEO eggs in one basket.
SEOs who relied on Google Plus for rankings saw their efforts vanish overnight. The same could happen with any platform. Diversify your traffic sources.
3. Authority still matters but in a different way.
Google Plus tried to make social signals a ranking factor. It didn’t last. Instead, Google prioritizes E-E-A-T. To rank today, focus on building credibility, not chasing shortcuts.
4. The future is AI-driven search.
SEO is shifting from traditional rankings to AI-powered results. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and AI Overviews now provide instant answers, reducing the need for clicks. Content must be authoritative, well-structured, and trustworthy to stay visible because if AI doesn’t trust it, neither will Google.
Google Plus was once seen as an SEO advantage. For a short time, it gave marketers a way to boost visibility. Google Authorship, +1s, and personalized search made it look like engagement mattered. But when the platform shut down, SEO barely felt the impact.
The lesson? SEO is bigger than any one platform. Google Plus faded, but search kept evolving. Today, Google prioritizes E-E-A-T, high-quality content, and real authority signals over social engagement.
Scientific advertising principles and SEO fundamentals still matter. Focus on long-term strategies, not trends. And if you need a guide, check out this website owner's manual.
Need visuals or blog design to rank higher on Google? TodayMade creates SEO-friendly images, web design, and animations that boost visibility. Contact us today to make your brand stand out.
