Last week, search giant Google shut off personal accounts on its newest social network, Google+, that were used by companies to promote their sites or services. Google said it was just company policy to restrict access to Google+, which is currently on beta and invitation-only mode, to individual users.

Google+ hopes to dislodge Facebook as the top social network. While Google has gained 10 million users within two weeks of its release, its still miles behind Facebook, which already has 750 million users.

Google+ has undoubtedly picked up users at a very quick pace because it mimics Facebook while adding new features including Circles and Hangouts. Aside from having Circles, which enables users to organize contacts into groups for sharing, across various Google products and services, Google+ offers Hangouts, a video chatting service.

While at the start it was Google Plus that was highlighting Facebook's shortcomings, Facebook is now turning the tables around by providing a one-stop-shop (it's free) that would aid businesses take advantage of Facebook's mass user base.

Facebook on Tuesday launched a Facebook.com/business subsite. While not actually providing new features, Facebook for Business provides a step-by-step online guide that would aid small and medium enterprises use the social networking site.

Facebook for Business is an online portal that walks businesses through the services that they could use and how to take advantage of them. The site gives directions on, among other things, how to set up a profile page, create targeted ads and deals, and interact with customer feedback online.

Business accounts have long existed in Facebook (they were never banned) but the new subsite clearly explains the features that would help businesses grow and reach out to millions of users of Facebook.

Facebook for Business serves as a nicely timed reminder that unlike Google+, Facebook encourages companies to use its service for company branding, according to Reuters.

"Facebook allows small businesses to create rich social experiences, build lasting relationships and amplify the most powerful type of marketing -- word of mouth," a Facebook spokesperson wrote in an email to Reuters. "We created Facebook.com/business to make it even easier for people to reach these objectives and grow."

This is the second time Facebook has added features to its social network to strike back at Google plus. Earlier in July, Facebook announced a partnership with Skype to bring video chat features within the social networking site. Microsoft, which owns shares of Facebook, the month before signed a deal to purchase Skype for $8.5 billion.

While small businesses won't be able to take advantage of Google plus, they should be able to join in once the service is available to the general public. According to Slash Gear, social chief at the search giant, Vic Gundotra, admitted that the company's brand strategy had been "a mistake"; while plans had been revealed to begin limited corporate account testing, there's still no public timeline on when businesses will be able to set up shop on Google+.

Google+ came to ring with hype and more noise, but Facebook has been able to punch back. By the looks of it, Facebook will likely be able to defend its crown.

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