The wait is over for Google Penguin 2.0, which has helped some marketers sleep a bit better. If your site wasn’t penalized, you may not be out of the clear yet. There’s a good chance that Google’s algorithms will look at the relationship you have with the Google family members, including Google+.

How can you be a strong influencer on Google+? We’ll tell you how.

1. Add Circles to Your Network

Growing your fan base may be more difficult on Google+ than on sites like Facebook or Twitter where more people spend time, but in order to look like an authority, you need to have some fan base. Start by growing your circles to gain visibility.

2. Create High-Quality Content

That’s right – it needs to be amazing, awesome and fabulous. Don’t just write content to write it; show that you’re an authority in your field and that you have knowledge that others don’t. Also be sure to keep up with the trends, as this will make your content more in-demand and relevant.

3. Interact with Fans

Shares, comments and +1s all help a brand gain authority, but this won’t continue to happen on its own if you don’t interact with your followers. There’s no need to respond to everything, but a little bit of interaction shows that you’re reading what others say about you.

4. Network with Competitors

There’s no reason why you can’t have a good rapport with others in the industry. By sharing industry-related news, you can grow your network with other professionals in your field.

5. Practice Good Authorship

Authorship is one of the criteria that Google uses to rank websites. Be sure to link the content you are publishing to the authors’ Google+ profiles. What this does is gives your content a legitimate author.

6. Include the Google+ Button

Just as you include the Facebook and Twitter buttons on your content, you also need the Google+ badge. This encourages readers to share your content on their circles and publicly recommend it, increasing your visibility.

7. Utilize Communities and Hangouts

Fostering relationships is made easy on Google+ thanks to their Communities and Hangouts. These tools allow users to create social groups based on particular topics or interests, build relationships and increase engagement. All of this will improve your visibility and contribute to your authoritative reputation.