Just when you thought that you had a handle on Facebook and Twitter for your company, Google+ enters the scene. Google officially began allowing companies to start their own Google+ accounts Monday.“This is the biggest launch in the 120 days since we started,” said Bradley Horowitz, Google’s vice president for products. “I expect brands will notice this, and building marketing plans around it.”

Before this, Google+ allowed only personal accounts. So what does Google expect you to do with your company’s Google+ account? “We want to make sure you can build relationships with all the things you care about—from local businesses to global brands,” Vic Gundotra, Google’s senior vice president of engineering wrote ^[1] in a blog post. “For businesses and brands, Google+ pages help you connect with the customers and fans who love you. Not only can they recommend you with a +1, or add you to a circle to listen long-term. They can actually spend time with your team, face-to-face-to-face. All you need to do is start sharing, and you’ll soon find the super fans and loyal customers that want to say hello.”

Read more at The New York Times ^[2].