Google is still working out the kinks of its newly launched social network, Google+. In the interest of enhancing user experience and strengthening Google+ as a social marketing tool, the search giant recently introduced identity verification services, which, for social marketers, might mean more accurate insight on who is sharing content.
In a blog post, Google's Wen-Ai Yu wrote that identity verification will be used to help Google+ users determine that the people in their circles are actually who they claim to be.
Similar to Twitter, identity verification will be particularly helpful for celebrity and branded Google+ pages. Once Google launches its Google+ for business pages, it may also prove beneficial for companies looking to use the network as a social media marketing platform. Brand verification can instill customer confidence, and authorized accounts will help marketers accurately understand their Google+ audience demographics.
Like Google+ itself, identity verification is still very much in its early stages, and it won't roll out universally for some time. According to Yu, the service will initially be used to identify celebrity and public figure pages. Eventually, though, it could be used across Google+'s membership, which, as Brafton reported, has already surpassed 25 million users.
