Let's do Business - Tips on Pages Part 1

Differences between Google+ Pages and Google+ Profiles:  Pages are extremely similar to profiles, but they have some key differences.

- Pages can be made for a variety of different entities whereas profiles can only be made for people.
- The default privacy setting for elements on your page profile is public.
- Pages can’t play games.

- Pages don’t have the option to share to ‘Extended circles’.
- Pages can’t hangout on a mobile device.
- Local pages have special fields that help people find the business’ physical location.

Pages can’t add people to circles or +1 their comments / posts until the page is added first or mentioned. Learn more
Pages can have multiple administrators:  Learn more
Pages have the +1 button: Lean more

Questions and answers about the use of Google+ business pages:

 Why can't I use the full name of my business though I see other businesses using theirs?

Checking your page link I saw immediately that you have created a personal profile, not a business page.  This is not allowed: All companies or entities should use a Page, not a profile.
Google may delete a personal profile that does not represent a human being.  Seen it happen lately.

Can G+ be used securely and confidentially within the confines of a large and very visible corporate business.    I am talking from a technical point of view i.e. can it be set up with restricted access and permissions?

The Pages can be set up to be used only internally, as a sort of Intranet. One can have up to 50 "page managers" who are allowed to post content.
Almost nothing can be seen outside if you so wish, read more.

Of course a corporation / company can even create several business pages for different uses.

Using circles can include just staff or also clients. The business pages are very versatile. They can also be used together with Google Apps, where you get a separate personal profile for business use. This way accidents don't happen if that profile is kept visible to circles / Pages only.

Hangouts is a great way to connect with coworkers and work together on spreadsheets, docs etc as all may edit at the same time.  No more sending emails and waiting for the results...

Measuring the reach and influence

With the measurement tools being delivered by +CircleCount CRM metrics also become much easier to manage - have you heard of any plans of G+ working with these offerings to include easily accessible tools to the public and to business?

The only measuring tool within Google+ at the moment is Ripples 

Well, of course there's the Google Analytics, too. It also seems that the teams are working on a measurement tool for Google+...  Interesting.

Statistics, analytics, activity, followers, follower map...

CircleCount.com ranks Pages along with the profiles: You can see all, choose a continent or a country. This is an excellent tool and gets better every week.

Add the pages you own or manage to see the statistics like this:

What next?

Finally, could you kindly give me a couple of links, circles, people or suggestions for guidelines to build my own awareness of what is happening in the business world as related to the above context?

I especially recommend you circle these Pages:

+Google+    +Google+ Help   and the official Community: Google+ Discuss

+Google+ Your Business     +Google+ Helper     +Google Engage for Agencies 

+Google Enterprise               +Google for Entrepreneurs


Very useful links:

All the Google official Pages on Google+

The Google Product Help Forums

A complete guide of how to create and optimize Google+ pages

Very good advice for business Pages from Virante / +Mark Traphagen

How to add your Google+ page to Hootsuite - video and article

If you want a short URL for your business page (or the personal page, too) to share around or put on your business card, here's a workaround tool:
At the moment we can just use this as we're waiting for Google to roll out the short URLs for everyone in the future. So go to gplus.to and make your own.

What are your experiences on Google+ business pages? 
What would you like to read about in Part 2?