(Image source: Google)
 

BY: MALLORY PERRYMAN

Google says it plans to roll out business profiles for its new Google+ social network-- but not until later this year.

A product manager for G+ made the announcement via YouTube.

Christian Oestlien: “We’re very excited about it and we hope to roll it out later on this year. It will include things like rich analytics and the ability to connect the identity to other parts of Google that businesses might use on a daily basis like Ad words.”

The International Business Times adds...

“In the meantime, a limited group of businesses will be permitted to participate in a pilot test for Google+ to determine how users interact with commercial brand profiles via various Google+ services, like Circles and Hangouts.”

But if your company isn’t included in the Beta test-- Google wants your biz off the G+ network-- and will give your company profile the boot if you don’t listen.

So G+, good, or bad for business? Computerworld weighs in.

“The news is bittersweet for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). Bitter, because it takes time to create new profiles and learn a new ecosystem. Sweet, because what Googlecan potentially offer through pages for SMBs is significantly more compelling than Facebook's Pages.”

Some potential--

But for now-- businesses are trying to find their place in the social media world.

Companies like Ford- experimenting with G+- are asking, what do users want?

Information Week says...

“That's a question a lot of businesses are asking both internally and externally, not just about Google+ but about Facebook and other social networks. Are businesses ‘friends’ or something else?”

According to Forbes-- Google hasn’t announced what the business profiles might look like- but reps say there will probably be different features for small businesses and big, national brands.