A Game-Changing Move for Google+ Should Have Facebook and Twitter on the Defensive

By Tim Beyers – Nov 7, 2013 at 9:30PM

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Custom URLs make your profile more searchable.

Google (GOOGL 0.55%) just took Google+ to the next level, Fool contributor Tim Beyers says in the following video.

Up to this point, Google+ hasn't been much of an alternative to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. But now, with custom URLs where you can claim your name, people might start using the service for brand-building. More activity would mean more content, thereby increasing the relevancy of Google+ profiles in searches.

Tim says it won't happen overnight. But in giving users the option to make Google+ a personal branding platform, the search king has signaled its intent to make the service more than just a common login point for accessing Drive, YouTube, Gmail, and other Google resources. Expect usage and engagement to rise dramatically as a result, Tim says.

Do you agree? How are you using Google+ compared to Facebook and Twitter? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple and Google at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home and portfolio holdings or connect with him on Google+, Tumblr, or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.

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