I’ve been on G+ since it launched and have been thinking about what makes it different from Facebook, and what it improves upon. The SEO benefits it provides is a significant piece as it’s owned by Google so your activity on G+ will feed directly into their search algorithms. Already my Google Profile has moved to the top of the search results for my name. Once their business solution is in place, having a G+ profile will be a key piece in driving search results for a company and being able to link directly to your various content around the web in one place.

That being said, the one item I have been giving a lot of thought to is what your Circles tells Google about you. It’s a key feature of the platform and one that the majority of individuals I’ve talked to rave about. When you add people on G+ you place them into groups that you self-identify. Being able to segment your connections into groups that you name based on your own needs is a great, well, plus of the social network; it helps you t manage who you share with and for what purpose. It also gives Google deep information about you and your social graph.

Which of my connections do I consider “real” friends? Who do I consider influential about business? Which of my connections are also knitting fans? Which ones also like Glee? Who considers me their friend? Is it mutual? Which Circles do I share specific types of content with?

With Google’s algorithms, being able to see not only what I search for, what videos I watch, who I email, what content I post, what content I consume, but also who I connect with, and in what context, gives them powerful insight into who I really am as a person. That kind of information will allow them to target me as a consumer in a much deeper way across all of their properties. I can only imagine how this data will be used in years to come as Google continues to roll-out products and refine their core products.