This is an interesting article about the rise of Google+ and the strategy behind its growth. One part caught my eye…

Want your business to appear on Google Maps, Google Local, et al., so that you can tell your prospective customers where you are, what you sell, and when you are open? Yup, you guessed it–you need a Google Plus Local Business page now.

People are starting to wake up to the power of Google+. I believe that small businesses who start using Google+ Local for their business will have a major advantage over businesses who don’t. I’ve already managed to increase the Google impressions of a small restaurant in Seven Sisters by over 100%. The message is adopt Google+, or get left behind.