Back in 2018, one of the most common questions among marketers and business owners was whether Google Plus helped SEO. Google owned the platform, so many people assumed that being active on Google+ would give them a special advantage in Google search results. The reality was more complicated. Looking back at how Google Plus affected search visibility, and why it ultimately shut down, teaches useful lessons about social signals, brand presence, and where SEO effort should really go today.
How AAMAX.CO Helps Businesses Build Lasting SEO Value
Platforms come and go, but a solid SEO foundation keeps delivering. AAMAX.CO is a full-service digital marketing company that offers web development, digital marketing, and SEO services worldwide. Rather than chasing short-lived tactics tied to a single platform, they help businesses invest in strategies that hold up over time: technical site health, high-quality content, and authoritative backlinks. Their search engine optimization approach focuses on sustainable rankings, so businesses aren't left scrambling when a social network or ranking trend disappears.
A Brief History of Google Plus
Google launched Google+ in 2011 as its answer to Facebook. It introduced features such as Circles for organizing contacts, Hangouts for video chat, and Communities for interest-based discussions. Google tied the platform closely to its other products, including YouTube, Gmail, and Google search, hoping to build a unified social layer across its ecosystem.
Despite heavy promotion, Google+ never reached the engagement levels of other social networks. In October 2018, Google announced it would shut down the consumer version of Google+, citing low usage and a data exposure issue. The platform closed for consumers in April 2019.
Did Google Plus Directly Improve Rankings?
The short answer is no, at least not directly. Google representatives repeatedly said that +1s and Google+ activity were not direct ranking factors in the core search algorithm. Having more followers or +1s on a post did not automatically push a web page higher in search results for everyone.
Many early studies showed a correlation between pages with lots of +1s and higher rankings. Correlation is not causation, though. Pages that earned many +1s were usually high-quality, popular pieces of content that also attracted backlinks, traffic, and engagement, and those are the factors that actually influenced rankings.
The Indirect SEO Benefits of Google Plus
Google+ wasn't a direct ranking factor, but it could still offer some indirect advantages in 2018:
Personalized search results: When users were logged into their Google accounts, content shared by people in their Google+ Circles could appear more prominently in their personalized results. That gave brands with engaged followings extra visibility with those specific users.
Fast indexing: Posts on Google+ were often indexed quickly by Google, and public posts could rank in search results themselves. Sharing new content on Google+ sometimes helped Google discover and crawl it faster.
Brand visibility: Active Google+ pages could appear in branded search results, giving businesses more real estate on the search results page and reinforcing their presence.
Content distribution: Like any social platform, Google+ helped content reach new audiences. More exposure could lead to more natural backlinks, which do influence rankings.
Google Authorship and Its Decline
One of the most talked-about Google+ features for SEO was Google Authorship. It let writers link their content to their Google+ profile, and in some cases their profile photo appeared next to their articles in search results. Many marketers believed it improved click-through rates. Google phased out Authorship snippets in 2014, well before 2018, though the ideas behind author credibility live on in today's focus on expertise and trustworthiness.
Google Plus vs. Google My Business
A common point of confusion was the relationship between Google+ business pages and local SEO. For a while, Google+ pages were linked to local business listings. Google later separated these features into Google My Business, now called Google Business Profile. For local SEO, the business listing mattered far more than Google+ activity, and it is still an essential tool for local visibility today.
Lessons for Modern SEO
The Google Plus story holds several lessons for today's marketers. First, don't build your SEO strategy around a single platform or rumored ranking shortcut. Second, social signals matter mostly because they increase content exposure, not because they directly change rankings. Third, the fundamentals always win: helpful content, a technically sound website, a good user experience, and credible backlinks.
Today, a well-rounded digital marketing strategy combines SEO with social media, email, and content distribution to grow reach, while keeping the website as the central asset.
What Should You Focus on Instead?
Instead of chasing social platform tricks, put your time into proven SEO practices. Build in-depth, original content that answers your audience's questions. Improve site speed and mobile usability. Earn backlinks from reputable websites. Keep your Google Business Profile optimized if you serve local customers. Show expertise and trust through author bios, reviews, and transparent business information.
Final Thoughts
So, did Google Plus help SEO in 2018? Not directly, though it offered some indirect benefits through personalized results, faster indexing, and content exposure. Its shutdown showed that sustainable SEO success comes from strong fundamentals rather than platform-specific shortcuts. Businesses that invest in quality content, technical excellence, and a trustworthy brand are the ones that keep ranking as the digital landscape changes.
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