On Monday Google announced that brands, products, companies, businesses, places, and groups are now welcome to create a professional presence on Google+. While many businesses have been tweeting and emailing your Google+ Page links, Google is providing you with badges to aid in promotion.

Similar to Facebook’s sidebar widget, these badges – which feature a +1 button and an “Add to Circles” button – will allow your visitors to subscribe to your Google+ Page directly from your website. Additionally, the badge will qualify your page for Google+ Direct Connect – which lets users go straight to a Google+ Page by searching for “+BrandName” on Google.

The Google+ badge isn’t going public just yet and is only available to members of the Google+ platform preview group, which anyone can join. From there you will be able to configure your badge and copy the code that will need to be pasted on your website.

Originally only select partners were given access to Direct Connect, but once the badge is made available to the public, everyone will be eligible.

Although there have been concerns around the adoption of Google+, opening the platform to businesses is likely to have a positive effect. A great way to encourage your customers to follow your Page is to display your badge prominently on your website or blog.

[Via: The Next Web, Image credit: Choko]