In an effort to continually improve on my social media skills, I’ve been really diving into Google Plus (or simply G+) as of late. I was one of the early adopters of G+, when you still had to have an invite to use the social media platform. I was so excited, and I (like many) thought that Google Plus was going to be the next big thing. Then it became open to the public, and… still not many people I knew signed up for it. When I realized I was getting more friends on Facebook than G+ when it was supposed to be gaining momentum, I basically gave up on it.
Some time has passed since those days, and more individuals and companies have established themselves on this platform. New features have been added recently and needless to say, my interest in Google Plus has been renewed. Not only is it my job to know and understand as much about social media as possible; I really just feel that many things deserve a second chance (darn my bleeding heart!). So let’s dive in to the new and improved G+, shall we?
*Please note: This is an introduction to Google Plus, which I interpreted by perusing my personal account, and should be used in conjunction with your own experience with G+ (not as a replacement for it).
When you log in to Google Plus, you are taken to the Home screen. This is where you are able to create your own post and view recent posts of others. The layout of G+ is relatively easy to follow, once you get into it. I stumbled a bit at first, but it always takes time to get used to anything that’s new to you. On the right hand side of the Home screen, you’ll see topics that are trending on G+, recommendations of people/businesses for you to follow, and other information that may be relevant to you. The left hand side of the screen is where your main options are. Going down the line:
Profile- Pretty self-explanatory. This is where you set up your profile (+You) that everyone will see. You can upload a profile pic, a cover photo, get a snapshot of who is in your Circles (we’ll come back to this), and see all of your past posts.
Explore- As Google+ puts it, this section is, “What’s hot and recommended.” Popular posts will be on display here, as well as posts that Google believes you will be interested in (based on your Google Plus habits, who you follow, what you post, etc.). Again, you will see trending topics on the right and suggestions for you to follow/Communities to join (more on that later).
Events- If you are hosting an upcoming event, you can create, share and invite others here. You can post photos for the event and view it on your Google calendar. Others that are invited to the event can also share posts and videos.
Communities- This is one of the newest features on Google Plus. In a nutshell, a Community is basically a group that you can join that appeals to your interests. Once you join a Community, you can post or comment on posts. It’s a fun way to communicate with people that you may not necessarily know, but share common ground with. For example, some of the Communities that I have joined are “Animal Lovers,” “One Upon A Time Fans,” and “Joke of the Day.” You can also create a Community, if you are so inclined.
Photos- This is where you can establish your photo settings. Set up instant uploading from your phone, view your photos online, and choose which photos and videos you want to share with whom.
Circles- The best way to explain Circles is simply that they are groups of people organized to your liking. You will start G+ with four pre-made Circles: Friends, Family, Acquaintances, and Following. You can delete any of these Circles, and create new ones- you have the freedom to organize any way you choose. One person can only be in one Circle at a time. What’s interesting about this is when you post, you can choose specific Circles that you want to share with (if it’s a more personal post) or you can share with ALL of your Circles. Make sure to pay attention to which Circles you’re sharing with whenever you are posting!
Local- This is a neat tool to use if you are trying to find a business near you. You will automatically see “Recommended places near ____________(your current location).” In this section, you can view/write reviews and recommendations, and you’ll see a few offers for locations near you that have paid to be in this space.
Games- Find games to play, and see what people in your Circles are playing.
Hangouts- A Hangout is basically video chat session. It does not have to be one-on-one; you can invite up to nine people at once to join in. You can view past Hangouts that have been made public on this page. There are apps you can access to make your Hangout sweeter, including YouTube and Google Effects.
Pages- If you manage multiple Google Plus Pages, you can access them all on this page. You have to be given administrative rights in order to have the Pages show up.
So now that we’ve gotten through the instructional portion, let’s take a look at some of the ways G+ can be used as a business tool.
1. If you are in the business of social media like me, you’ll enjoy using a fresh platform and learning all about it.
2. Google account holders will find that it integrates nicely with their Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, etc.
3. The organization of Google Plus is really helpful (once you get used to it). Being able to post to certain audiences is a key feature that other platforms don’t offer.
4. Businesses can benefit from some of the features, such as Local, Events, and even Hangouts. Think about how cool it would be to host a seminar related to your business through a simple Hangout chat on G+!
5. Adding G+ to the social media mix is another way to reach out to current and potential clients; the more social media platforms you are active on, the less chance you have of isolating anyone in your customer base.
The biggest issue with Google Plus that I see is that it just hasn’t seemed to catch on as a major player in the social media world yet. It’s true that G+ now has more than 100 million active users, but when I use my personal page, I feel like I’m hearing crickets every time I post something. Granted, I’m still building up my Circles, but I can’t help but wonder if other individuals and businesses feel the same way. I have found that there aren’t a lot of local businesses on G+ for my area. I have been able to follow several chains that have a presence on Google Plus, but I was really expecting to be able to add some of the businesses in the Local section to my Circles and I wasn’t able to. That section seems to mostly be for ads and reviews. Google Plus has a long way to go to become major competition to certain other players in the game, but it might be advantageous to start using it now as it is still in growth mode. Does G+ fit into your business plan? That’s for you to decide.
Written by: Jocy Vuiller
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