Chima M. Oleru
For most
people, Facebook is the go-to place for connecting with one’s social network.
Yet Google+ has created a unique “circles” model to separate people into
distinct groups. It’s a lot easier than on Facebook, where awkward situations
can arise when dealing with information of a more personal nature.
Create any number of circles, say, for your “baseball team”, “alumni” or “knitting group” – then share what you want with each circle. For example, reveal contact details, location, and relationships to your friends circle; share your employment history and education with your business circle. Like Facebook, Google+ lets you create separate Pages for business as well. READ MORE...
Create any number of circles, say, for your “baseball team”, “alumni” or “knitting group” – then share what you want with each circle. For example, reveal contact details, location, and relationships to your friends circle; share your employment history and education with your business circle. Like Facebook, Google+ lets you create separate Pages for business as well. READ MORE...
1. Getting Started
o Just as in other social networks, creating a public profile is the
first step. But Google+ only requires your first name; other information may be
kept private. You can also map out places you’ve been and easily add other
social sites to your profile. Be sure to set email notifications to your taste,
like being alerted when someone adds you to their circles or mentions you in a
post.
Next, click on the double circle
icon to create circles and add people to them. Begin by naming an empty circle
or dragging someone to a circle, and then naming it. Then add people: search by
name, connect with your online email accounts, like Gmail, and see people who
have added you to their circles. You can even add people you see in Google
search directly to one of your circles.
2. Posts and Streams
o Like Facebook, you’ll want to keep people engaged by creating
interesting and useful content, which will appear in your “stream.” Your posts
may be shared with individuals or with an entire circle, and through the
circles you’ve been added to, it’s up to you who will see your messages. You
can lock your posts and prevent people from resharing by clicking on the small
arrow to the right of your post. Use the + or @ shortcut in front of a name to
add them to a message or comment.
3. Make Recommendations
o As with Facebook’s “like” button, the +1 button indicates a positive
recommendation, wherever it appears. Add one to your website, so visitors can
weigh in with their opinion. +1’s in search results indicate pages liked by
your social connections.
Hang Out
o One of the really unique features of Google+ is the ability to have
conversations by video and instant message, not with just one person, but with
up to nine other people at once. Google+ calls these “Hangouts.” You can create
your own or join one for fun and watch a YouTube video together. And for
business, hold live Q&A’s, publicize upcoming events or simply conduct a
meeting.
