Many businesses are still skeptical about how much Google+ can do for them. With 359 million active users on the social network, it should not be overlooked if you want to strengthen your brand’s online presence. Google+ offers a large number of business-friendly features that you can take advantage of which you can’t find on the other social media sites.Another bonus that comes from using Google+ is that you can see a great improvement to your search engine ranking. With the SEO benefits that come from being an active user of this social network, you should always make time to focus on it as part of your online marketing strategy.As with other social networks, you want to make sure that you have a healthy number of followers. If you haven’t seen a steady rise in your following, here are some simple ways that you can grow that number:Make a personal profileCreating a personal profile in addition to your business profile is a great way to strengthen your brand. By using both profiles in tandem, you can see an increase in your followers. Plus, you have the potential of Google Authorship, which can boost your authority as an expert in your field.Post valuable content oftenJust like you make time each day to post content to Facebook and Twitter, make sure you are also adding value for your followers on Google+. The content that you publish on Google+ is searchable, so treat each post like you would a micro blog. Keep the things you post on topic and relevant to your business when you post to your business page.Add to your own circlesVery few profiles that are set up on Google+ are fake, unlike on other social networks. So, if you do a good job of creating a detailed profile, start adding relevant businesses and people to your circles and you will soon see those people adding you back to their own circles.Google+ is a community built for networking and reaching out to others. Use your personal page to add those businesses to your circles and grow your own network of brands and people in the industry. When people start adding you to their circles, you can share your business posts with them to get more exposure for your own brand.Be engagingYou don’t want to be just a page on a social network. Make time to go to your page and engage with the other users. Answer questions that people post to your profile, reply to messages and comments. Go through the posts of the people you follow on your personal profile and leave valuable comments. Take part in discussions and communities.Watch for trending topicsKnow what everyone is talking about and it will be easier to get in on the conversation. This also gives you ideas of what topics you should be creating content about and posting to your pages.Mention others in your postsWith Google+, you can mention another user simply by putting a (+) in front of the user’s name inside of your post. This will let the other user know that you have mentioned them. It is a good way to get more people involved in your discussions.Join relevant communitiesThere are many Google+ Communities for you to join that are similar to online forums and message boards. It is a place to connect and network with people who have a role in your industry as well as people who share an interest in other topics. When you join relevant communities and actively participate in them, you can reach a target audience, which helps grow your followers.Google+ should be high on your list of priorities when it comes to your social marketing strategy. Growing the number of followers you have will earn you even greater benefits on Google.What are you doing to grow your Google+ business profile?