Google+ for organisations
Google has launched Google+ for business, allowing organisations and businesses to add pages to Google's recently-launched social network.
A rival to Facebook, the company says Google+ brings "the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to software". It integrates exisiting Google social services such as Google Profiles and Google Buzz, and introduces new services such as Circles, Hangouts and Sparks.
Google+ is currently available as a website and a mobile application, and may be made available as a desktop application in the future.
Any community organisation thinking of setting up a Google+ Page should look at some of the resources available on the internet explaining how to set up a page.
Online publication Search Engine Land has an article that discusses Google+ Pages and how to set one up:
http://searchengineland.com/google-pages-now-open-for-businesses-brands-places-more-100217
For more in-depth information on setting up and optimizing a Google+ Page, the Business 2 Community website has two useful articles. The articles cover what you need to know, including the difference between Pages and Profiles, how to set up your Page, how to manage your Page, and how to manage your circles:
Technorati suggests that organisations and businesses think carefully about results before they commit to a new social networking platform and the time it takes to maintain a presence. Their '5 Key Things About Google+ Pages for Your Business' highlights the things you should consider before deciding whether or not to set up your Page:
http://technorati.com/business/small-business/article/5-key-things-about-google-plus/#ixzz1dMASabCF