Whether your brand is big or small, you may be neglecting the design your Google+ page. And the simple truth is that people will take your brand more seriously if it looks great in the places you communicate. Oh and if you aren’t on Google+, you should be.
In the past, we shared how to create the perfect Twitter profile page and even how to create the perfect Facebook profile page. The ideas are similar, to make sure your page renders the way it should for viewers across all applications and browsers, and help you get started with templates that do the layout leg work for you. In this post we will give you a free downloadable template to fix your Google Plus page, as well as share some inspiration of brands doing it right.
Your Google Plus Page Starts with your Cover Photo
The current Google Plus layout showcases a cover photo, much like Facebook. The display of this cover photo is 890 by 180 px, but the placement of the profile photo blocks a good portion of this width.
LoudNoises
The Google Plus Cover Photo is 940 x 180 px but the profile photo blocks part of it
The LoudNoises Google Plus cover photo uses the profile photo in its design. In order to design something that leverages the placement of the profile photo, you’re gonna need to know that the left side of the cover photo shows only 615 px before it ducks behind the profile photo. Which translates (for most designs) to 615 px of actual working space in your cover photo. You can use this area to display anything from a gif (like my google plus page does) to a pretty photo with text, or even a pic of your mom and pet gorilla in the bath together (though you shouldn’t have a gorilla as a pet, shame on you).
Which brands do Google Plus right?
There are a lot of great brands who haven’t created a cover photo yet for their profile, Pepsi, Mashable, and even SEOmoz use their photos instead of a cover photo. To get your wheels turning on designing your own page, here are some examples of some good uses of the 615 px in their cover photo design:
Distilled
Distilled Google Plus Profile uses a wide gif that changes. A very nice use of brand colors and personality.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga Google Plus Page
Britney Spears
Britney Spears Google Plus Page
Barack Obama
Barack Obama Google Plus Page
Hubspot
Hubspot Google Plus Page
Instagram Google Plus Page
National Geographic
National Geographic Google Plus Place
Matthew Inman- The Oatmeal
Matthew Inman for The Oatmeal Google Plus Page
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams Google Plus Page with a gif!
The Pixelista
Pixelista Google Plus Page
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers Google Plus Page
Van Gogh Museum
Van Gogh Museum Google Plus Page
What Not to do with your G+ Page
- Don’t leave your cover photo as default. Thats boring.
- Don’t have your text to the right of the main 615 px area. The cover photo is 250 x 250 px
- Don’t upload of photo of the skyline or clouds or generic nature stuff. Design a cover photo that tells a story of what your brand has to offer.
If you want to know why Google Plus is so cool, check out this article from Kuno Creative about the benefits of Google Plus.
Also, the best thing you can really do on Google+ is to follow LoudNoises on G+. 
Oh, and also, check out this post on 50 Pages & People Every SEO Should Have In Their Circles from Jon at Point Blank SEO. Seriously, it makes Google+ a way more interesting place to hang out.
Alright Alright! Where’s the Free Stuff?
Before you go an open up Illustrator to make this cover photo, I have already created a template for you to design not only your cover photo, but your profile photo too!.
Related Posts from LoudNoises:
Have a great Google+ page to share? Leave us a comment!
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