Today On Google+: Business Profile Updates, What Google+ Is Really About & The First Google+ User?

Below is today’s top news relating to Google+, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.

Updates For Business Pages

Official Google Update For Businesses from Christian Oestilen, ads manager of Google Plus, covers the current state of businesses on Google+.  Google is currently selecting their chosen set of businesses for the test period.  In the meantime, Google is still “actively closing profiles that are being used by businesses.”

The Official Form For Business Profile Testing Is Closing is a another post by Christian Oestlien letting users to get into the business profile testing by tomorrow, July 15th.  The form will close at 6pm PST on Friday, so fill out the form while you still can.  In the comments he also lets users know that no feedback has been provided to anyone yet, so hang tight if you have already applied:

“We haven’t reviewed applications yet. We’ll be reviewing over the next week.”

Does Google+ Improve on Facebook? What Is It Really About?

Google+ Improves on Facebook is a detailed review from the NY Times that compares the two services and the plusses and minuses associated with each.  If you have a friend who is on the fence about Google+ this article is quite unbiased and is a great recap of the two networks.

What Google+ Is Really About is an interesting slideshow (via a Google+ photo gallery) that tries to get to the bottom of what Google+ can accomplish.  Is Google+ Social targeting a known or unknown market space? How can Google+ differentiate themselves?  Vincent Wong takes a look at the possibilities of Google+.

Five Ways Facebook Can Fight Back Against Google+ is an article about measures that Facebook take to avoid being snuffed out by Google+.  From trimming down notifications to adding Circles, MacWorld takes a look at proactive steps that Facebook can take.

First Users, More Chrome Extensions & Google+ Fun!

Who’s The First Google+ User from Search Engine Roundtable takes a look at who owns “profile zero.”  Profile zero may indicate the first Google+ user ever.  It just may be that Raj Pudota could be the one and only “profile zero.”

5 Chrome Extensions That Improve Google+ from Mashable provides five handy tips for maximizing your Google+ experience.  From seeing Google+ counts in your page title, easily sharing to other networks or the addition of more shortcuts, these extensions can help you maximize your Google+ experience.

Apple Intentionally Delays Google+ iOS App by the International Business Times covers reports that the iPhone/iPad app is being purposefully delayed.  The app was supposedly submitted around the July 4th holiday, but still has not made its way to the App Store.

Your Reluctance To Put Me In Your Google  Plus Circles… is a humorous look at the relationship between Facebook Friends and Circles.