Should the Google Plus button be sitewide?

[bradkrussell]

Hi All,

We are in the process of adding a Google Plus button to our site (to the header, sitewide) - at http://www.jewelleryoutlet.com.au/

My question is, should the button have behavioural characteristics that apply to the whole site, or only for that page that it is clicked on. Consider these scenarios:

1. A customer clicks on the G+ button from the homepage - they then 'like' that page (our homepage, i.e. our site)
2. A customer clicks on the G+ button from a category page - e.g. http://www.jewelleryoutlet.com.au/cheap-necklaces-s/1818.htm. Because the button is in the header and sitewide, should the customer be 'liking' http://www.jewelleryoutlet.com.au/ or http://www.jewelleryoutlet.com.au/cheap-necklaces-s/1818.htm?
3. We are also adding a Google + button to the item template, e.g. on http://www.jewelleryoutlet.com.au/product-p/jn1003.htmsomewhere above the Add to Cart button. When they press the button in this instance, they are 'liking' only that page (which is how I would want the functionality to work).

So my question is to do with point 2 above. Much like a Facebook 'like/fan count' type button that exists in the header of many sites, should the G+ button function the same way? E.g. if we have a count of 10 in the header on the homepage, then there is also a count of 10 sitewide? Or should this reset for every subsequent page that a customer lands on, and by pressing the G+ button on that page, they are 'liking' only that page.

Which is better for SEO? Several different +1's to different pages (e.g. from the necklaces, bracelets and earrings category pages for a more natural structure) or several +1's all pointing to the homepage?

Any help or suggestions regarding G+ button or the service in general would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[bradkrussell]

Thanks for the responses. Just a quick follow up question - would you make the links to these social media pages/accounts no follow as to not leak any link juice from your page?

Or by making them followed, your social media accounts (particularly a page like Pinterest where some of the links are followed) gain a higher page authority and are thus more useful from a SEO point of view.

Or is this just a really dumb question?

[NoahsDad]

On our site I use it on each individual page (post). Same with Facebook, stubmle upon, pintrest, etc...

Like someone mentioned, I want people to be directed back to a specific post. I did put a Facebook like box on our home page which allows people to like our facebook page directly from our home page (which has been very effective) and I thought about adding a "like" button for our home page, but it would be sort of confusing I think to people. There would basically be two different like buttons....

I may experiment with having a place in the footer to like our main page: site wide. I'll have to see how it goes.

[McTaggart]

I always put this sitewide these days, other than pages like directions and contact. Web developers hate it, but I find the share/etc., info from each individual page really useful - ie the pages that aren't engaging with customers are worked on until they DO.

I've heard talk that some users find like counters insulting. Along the lines of 'how dare you ask me for a like' yet whenever I've done site-wide stuff, I've seen improved stats - both visitor numbers and engagement.

[jobintourism]

I think you should have one button on your home page to "like" the brand and one for any kind of different products you sell.

It makes sense, in my opinion, that one can appreciate the company itself or its products.

[mediabase]

Hi Bradussel, Now, today, the first of June, it is possible to add a plus one button (+1) to every website! Google announced that they release it for live use today, after a two months test period. (Yes, you have been able to test the Google plus one button already, but only for search results, not directly on websites.) Read on for finding out how to** add the plus one button to your website**!

How to add plus one button to website

You can go to this page on Google. There is provided a code that you have to insert on your website and your blog on the places where you want the button. It is very simple, just a simple javascript tag in the header of your page, and a custom Google code on the place where you want the plus one button on your website.

This is the code that goes into the header:

This is the code that you insert where you want the +1 button to appear:

That’s it! The plus one button will now appear on your site! Like this you can add it on single pages and posts also in WordPress, but if you want a separate plus one button for every post on your blog page (often front page) you need to tweak it a little more.

One thing to note, you have to be logged in to Google (Gmail for example) for being able to use the button. I added it to this blog now as well, you can try to plus-one this post by clicking on the button, it is on the top of the post, beside the Facebook- and Twitterbutton.

Benefits of the Google Plus One 1+ Button

For SEO purposes I think that the Google Plus One button will be beneficial for website owners and bloggers – especially bloggers who have some built in community that will naturally participate in the clicking of buttons and things. If you tend to get a fair amount of Facebook Likes/Shares or Retweets on a post, you should definitely see results with this new Google 1+ Button.

What we know is that the activity on the Plus One Button will effect search engine results and placements. What we don’t know just yet, is how. As with all things Google.

I do feel that visually, a post that may fall in third or fourth results, but is showing recommendations via the 1+ button, will be more likely to get organic searchers clicking through to the site than a third or fourth place result would otherwise see.

I have better idea. Google +1 was introduce to compete with Faceback. So, we will include the Google +1 button wherever we have included the Facebook button or the places preferable to add a socializing button.

For more information please visit the How Google+Affects Social  Shares.

I hope that your query had been solved.

[Keszi]

Hi Bradrussel,

G+, FB or Twitter buttons... With all of them I would point out the page you are on. (It is quite logical if you think about it).

Think about the following scenario: you are a visitor, go to a website, check a product... You want to share it with your friends. You want to share the product, and not the brand (right?!)

I believe that it would attract more targeted visits if you could share the products themselves instead of brand.

I hope this helped,

Istvan