Many small businesses already feel that Google+ is an important social platform because Google, one of the most influential sites when it comes to web search site referrals, developed it.

Here are some of the advantages to being a Google+ early adopter.

1. Boost Your SEO: If your business relies on Google search referrals for website traffic, and whose site doesn’t, then Google+ can help you. Google+ influences search for all the people who have included your business in their circle, so having an active and engaging Google+ account is critical to building a network. It’s also a good idea to put a +1 button on important pages within your site to get free promotion from people who like the page content or people with similar interests.

2. Host a Hangout: Hangouts are an excellent format for businesses to engage in a highly personal way with clients, customers and industry thought leaders. You can also collaborate with employees, partners or clients in other locations or hold team meetings to brainstorm with one another. The Hangout interface and features allow you to easily share and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets and more.

3. Content Distribution: Google+ is a great platform for extending distribution of your content. Many companies are reporting that they were able to build Google+ “circles” (Facebook equivalent of Fans) in a fraction of the time it took them to build a similar size network on Facebook.

4. Connect with Early Adopters: If your business falls in the Internet or technology industries, Google+ is a great place to connect with a tech-savvy audience. Google+ users are most likely going to be early adopters of other technologies and marketing channels which affords you an excellent opportunity to connect with them in this media rich environment.

5. Segment Your Audience: A huge benefit of Google+ over Facebook is its ability for you to share select content with specific audiences. You can create and use Google+ Circles to segment your audiences and share content directly with specific groups of followers.

6. Network: You can use both Google+ personal and or “Brand” pages to network, gather data and research media contacts and potential clients to better connect with them when the time is right. Checking the users “About” section of their Google+ profile is a great place to start.

7. Explore & Learn: Use Google+ for exploration. It’s still a niche platform, but growing very quickly. Google+ is starting to combine social and search. Knowing the impact this has on the way people find information on the web and being a part of it at the early stages can be a huge asset when it hits the mainstream.

Are you a Google+ early adopter? If so why did you start and what advantages have you realized so far?