We all know that Google has been counting social singles as a ranking factor for quite a while now. We also know it’s one of those factors that’d most likely increase its significance over time.

A recent research by Moz’s Cyrus Shepard caused a kind of stir in the industry, claiming that Google Plus posts pass great SEO value and are more important ranking signals than Facebook shares, likes or comments. Though Google’s Matt Cutts debunked the research on Hacker News, many SEOs still suspect that it may be true to the most extent (especially in the world that’s hyper-personalized and where it’s so hard not to be logged in on Google).

Now Shepard, of course, is not the first one to have made such a claim. The point we’re trying to make here is that cracking Google’s algorithm doesn’t matter much. That’s because it’s not the surefire way to success, as we know Google changes its algorithm over 500 times a year.

Even if Shepard is 100% right, it’s of no use if we keep on creating mediocre products and mediocre content. Because that doesn’t (and will never) get you +1’s.

After all, it’s all about being remarkable in every way, so that you’re being sought and not just being found.

It’s about making a product that people love and tell the world about, not just on Google+ but on the platforms you’ve never ever optimized.

It’s about creating content that resonates with and provides value to those who may be your prospects or are related to them.

So the answer to the question we posed in the title – Is Google Plus the Best Way to Rank in 2013? – is it doesn’t matter.

And we don’t think it’s a must to remind you that Google+ however is pivotal (if not everything) to getting you more of your online marketing.

Thought we’d conclude with some Google+ best practices:

• Make sure you’ve a Google+ button on your website.
• Use hashtags to join relevant conversations or to make something trending.
• Join hangouts so your prospects can contact you directly.
• Join relevant communities.
• Be proactive when it comes to engagement.
• Link relevant keywords on your About page back to your products.
• Post quality content more 3-4 times so that people from different time zones are able to see it.
• Make use of images and videos to make your posts more interactive.
• Claim Google+ authorship for headshots in SERPs and for higher rankings.
• Use Ripples, a Google+ tool, to measure your success and discover new opportunities.

What do you think about Google+? We’d love to hear from you.